What is the Vacant Land Advocacy Network?

The Vacant Land Advocacy Network (VLAN) is a coalition of resident advocates who champion solutions to vacant land issues in the Pittsburgh area. With over 100 active members, VLAN aims to harness our collective power to advocate for meaningful change. Through VLAN’s workshops, calls to action, and events to speak to policymakers, Grounded will provide members with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities to participate in policy-making and development that shape their neighborhoods and communities. 

Grounded believes that residents in hypervacant communities have the best insight on what changes will be most effective in addressing vacant and abandoned properties in their neighborhoods. With Grounded’s expertise in urban vacant land reuse and our connections to residents across the city and county, we believe that the Vacant Land Advocacy Network can create catalytic change in the communities that have been most impacted by hypervacancy. 

Upcoming VLAN Events

This workshop series is designed to train community members, activists, and stakeholders to effectively engage in the Vacant Land Advocacy Network (VLAN). The workshops aim to provide the tools and strategies needed to address vacant land issues in Pittsburgh, focusing on community-led land ownership, maintenance, and equitable access. Participants will develop advocacy skills, understand key policy issues, and engage with local authorities and organizations.

Expect a historical analysis of why so much urban vacant land came to be publicly owned, engaging discussions on what racially just land policies could look like, as well as interactive exercises on movement building, storytelling, and advocating. Whether you're hoping to own the empty lot next door, or just want to show up for a more just Pittsburgh for all, this series will give you the tools you need to confidently speak and advocate for change in your neighborhood.

You can sign up for each session below!

10/30 Vacant Land: History, Memory, & Movement

11/6 Who, What, Where: Community & Power Mapping

11/9 Pittsburgh: A Rust Belt City, the Environment, & Justice

11/13 Public Narrative & Our Place in it

11/16 The Personal Narrative Informing the Public Narrative

Location:

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - East Liberty

(130 S Whitfield St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206)

Transportation & Parking:

• PRT bus lines: 71A, 71B, 71C, 74, 75, 77, 82, 86, 87, 88, 89
• Parking: metered lot, and metered street parking

Accessibility:

• Fully ADA compliant
• Accessible main entrance
• Elevators to access all library floors