# Community violence prevention through community-engaged vacant property reuse: Longitudinal application of Busy Streets Theory in Indianapolis

> **NIH ALLCDC R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $399,805

## Abstract

Vacant lots, when left untended, become liabilities for communities with consequences for crime and violence,
including firearm violence. In many urban centers, high vacancies contribute to increased rates of violence and
injury, including assaults, robbery, and homicide. A growing body of evidence suggests that remediating and
improving vacant lots is a promising strategy to reduce violent crime and firearm assaults. Researchers have
also shown that community engagement in efforts to improve vacant lots may be a critical component to
sustain efforts and improve violence reduction outcomes. Yet, researchers have examined a relatively narrow
range of greening strategies including simple lot remediation (e.g., removing trash & debris) and installation of
small-scale lot treatments (e.g., planting trees, installing split rail fencing), and have largely not explored the
effect of engaging residents in this process. Further, there is a lack of research on how these efforts are
sustained over time and whether continued activation provides additional benefit. The purpose of this study will
be to examine crime incidents occurring near vacant lot reuse project sites in Indianapolis, Indiana, where
community-based organizations have reclaimed vacant lots for productive purposes. In partnership with Keep
Indianapolis Beautiful, we will examine 120 project sites across the city from their inception to up to 5 years
post intervention. We will test the hypothesis that vacant lot reuse is an effective strategy for prevention of
violence and compare the effects of vacant lot reuse on violent incidents and injury over time relative to a set of
comparison sites (N = 240) where no reuse occurs. We will also examine how the level of community
engagement may enhance the effects of vacant lot reuse on violence through rigorous site documentation and
tracking, as well as case studies of successful community engaged project sites with a reduction in violent
incidents. Our specific aims for the proposed research are to: 1) Examine the short term effect of vacant lot
reuse projects on total violent crime incidents and injury and how the level of community engagement modifies
the effect; 2) Examine the long term effect of vacant lot reuse projects on total violent crime incidents and injury
in the short term and how the level of community engagement modifies the effect; and 3) Conduct in-depth
case studies of 12 vacant lot reuse sites and their effect on violent crime outcomes and community
engagement to identify facilitating factors and barriers to effective reuse.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10827483
- **Project number:** 5R01CE003497-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Justin Edward Heinze
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $399,805
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-30 → 2025-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10827483

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10827483, Community violence prevention through community-engaged vacant property reuse: Longitudinal application of Busy Streets Theory in Indianapolis (5R01CE003497-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10827483. Licensed CC0.

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