U-M to continue research on vacant land reuse in Flint with federal funding renewal

The University of Michigan’s (U-M) Prevention Research Center of Michigan has received $5 million in renewed funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue its community-based research, focused primarily on Flint, through 2029. Over the next five years, the center will focus on evaluating vacant land reuse programs in Flint to improve neighborhood safety, social capital, and physical activity opportunities. Researchers will also work with local health departments to address disparities in physical activity among African-American and Latino adults.

"The built environment in disinvested communities and communities facing structural inequities can be a major barrier to physical activity," says Roshanak Mehdipanah, U-M associate professor for the U-M School of Public Health and principal investigator of the project. "Research has shown that when vacant land is transformed into parks or other green spaces, it can help reduce crime, enhance social capital and well-being, and provide opportunities for physical activity."

The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, hosted by U-M since 1998, is one of 20 CDC-funded centers nationwide that conduct community-driven research. The center emphasizes community-based participatory research, ensuring residents are involved at every stage to align initiatives with local needs. Its community advisory board plays a key role in fostering trust, providing insights, and ensuring the center's work is culturally relevant and practical.

"Our first greening projects were in Flint, in partnership with the Genesee County Land Bank," explains Mehdipanah, referring to the center’s practice of planting grass and other plants in vacant lots for both beautification and safety purposes. "That work eventually developed into what we are doing now on preventing illegal dumping and repurposing lots to promote physical activity."

In the first year of this renewed funding, Mehdipanah says researchers will interview local and nationwide organizations to identify best practices for vacant land reuse programs that promote physical activity and address participation disparities. Findings will inform the creation of the adaptable Vacancy to Action toolkit, which will be designed to meet diverse community needs while promoting sustainable and effective implementation, with support from the Flint-based nonprofit Center for Community Progress.

"Although many communities may face similar socioeconomic and environmental challenges, each community is unique in how their community groups and organizations work together to face these challenges," Mehdipanah says. "We will work with our partners in Flint to help us disseminate our toolkit and other evidence we collect to other cities impacted by high vacancy rates."

Rylee Barnsdale is a Michigan native and longtime Washtenaw County resident. She wants to use her journalistic experience from her time at Eastern Michigan University writing for the Eastern Echo to tell the stories of Washtenaw County residents that need to be heard.

Photo courtesy of U-M.