CleanScape recently received a grant to conduct a pilot redevelopment study on three vacant lots in South Providence. There is no one entity that is charged with this responsibility or properly equipped to take on the function of title clearing, property acquisition and property management. There must be an agency or an official in the City government that is charged solely with leading efforts to move vacant, blighted properties in the City s possession into productive use. The lack of leadership and aggressiveness by the PRA is rooted in the lack of interest and leadership from the Mayor s Office because ultimately it is the Mayor who appoints the PRA director, allocates funding, and creates policies that will fuel redevelopment efforts. Pressure and momentum from the community coupled with leadership and a commitment from the Mayor will promote redevelopment efforts.
Resources are scarce at every level of government and especially so for non-profit groups.