Once a community has completed an inventory of its abandoned properties, the community may have to make tough decisions about which properties to address first. Factors to consider when prioritizing properties for redevelopment include:
- Designation of dilapidated or historic properties in a comprehensive plan
- Designation of dilapidated or historic properties in a zoning ordinance
- Boundaries defined by a community’s Urban Renewal Authority or Land Reuse Agency
- A preferred alternate use for a specific property because, for instance, a lot may be irregular, have a small layout, have insufficient street capacity, or have insufficient green space, parks, or recreational facilities Example: A dilapidated building in a busy business district may be demolished to create additional parking spaces for local businesses.
- Condition of title, particularly when multiple owners claim ownership interest or the community cannot locate or identify the owner
- Character of the neighborhood, including historic neighborhoods and blighted or slum areas
- Crime statistics in a specific neighborhood
- Traffic and accident analysis
- Declared disaster areas due to flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and tornadoes
- Physical and geological factors, such as whether land is submerged, contains karst that causes periodic flooding, has unusual topography, or has features that would make development by private enterprise uneconomical
- Economic feasibility, considering the cost of demolition, market costs, or the cost to partially or completely fix a building