No subject

forclosures in cases where lots are suspected of being clean but are
unwilling to take those suspected of toxic contamination after what I
believe is a Phase I environmental assessment.  Otherwise they are willing
to permit community garden use on city-owned vacant lots but neither they
or the county are interested in opening more parks.

Peter, By the way, thanks for the FHA Roundtable Fannie Mae paper - I
gleaned many lessons from the '49 FHA!  The roundtable inspired me to take
the next step in my career toward addressing both unbankable properties and
residents here in Milwaukee through a Non-profit housing in a more applied
fashion.

I also have a more specific question re: vacant lot solutions; do others
have experience with successful conversion of vacant lots to land trusts?

Dave Boucher

******************************

From: "Nancy Nye" <nancynye at sover.net>

Peter, the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven has a small grants
program in New Haven that assists block groups and neighborhood
associations to develop community gardens, playgrounds, etc. on vacant city
lots.  The city has used CDBG funds to supplement the neighborhood efforts
and the Yale School of Forestry has helped with designs and planning.  The
program is primarily for grassroots leadership development and "civic
involvement" but may offer some ideas. For more information you could
contact Ana Arroyo, the Program Officer for the Neighborhood grants program
at CFGNH (203-777-2386)

Nancy Nye
Community Development Consultant
P.O. Box 61
Taftsville, VT 05073
802-457-3783

*******************************

From: Linda Nessel <lnessel at cce.cornell.edu>

Perhaps this would be helpful,

Linda

fyi, Here is an excerpted article from the Urban Outdoors Bulletin on
Toronto's efforts to create/support gardens for their multiple benefits to
public health.  Please share with staff, Gretchen

Community Garden Update                    

November 5, 1999

IN TORONTO, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUILDS COMMUNITY GARDENS.

While NYC works to destroy twenty years of community building, the
City of Toronto moves in the other direction because they believe
that community gardening saves lives and money. In Albany, Toronto
Dr. Trevor Hancock, speaking to a meeting of health professionals,
noted that community gardening was critical to healthy communities,
providing gathering spaces for neighborly support, green oases for
psychological health and cleaner air, and opportunities for physical
activity to reduce the incidence of many debilitating conditions
including hypertension, heart disease, diabetics, asthma, and some
cancers. (He failed to mention fresh nutritious food) As a result, he
told the assembled audience, the City of Toronto Health Department
was engaged in a program to expand community gardening opportunities
in that city.   

Gretchen Ferenz, Leader
Environmental Issues
Cornell University Cooperative Extension-NYC Programs
16 East 34th Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY  10016-4328
phone:  212/340-2926
fax:  212/340-2908
http://www.cce.cornell.edu/nyc/
email:  gretchen_ferenz at cce.cornell.edu