Vacant to Vibrant
Vacant to Vibrant connects communities in EPA Region 9 directly with an EPA project officer to discuss their community’s history, assets and environmental concerns.
Since launching in 2023, EPA and CCLR have supported 155 communities that are new to brownfields. In 2024 Vacant to Vibrant won EPA’s National Notable Achievement Award. CCLR is now working with EPA Region 10 to expand the program.
Our goal is to be an early partner in community efforts to reuse vacant land to promote a vibrant, healthier, and stronger community. With each collaboration, we create lasting, attentive, professional relationships with communities to build staff capacity and address common barriers to brownfield reuse.
The V2V Process
Program Leadership
EPA’s Brownfields program supports the evaluation, cleanup, and transformation of underused properties into community benefits such as new housing, open space, and commercial development. CCLR is EPA’s Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities (TAB) provider in EPA Regions 9 and 10. That’s Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawai’i, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and the Pacific Island territories.
Who can benefit from Vacant to Vibrant
- Government and Tribal agencies
- Nonprofit organizations or community groups
- Land reuse professionals
- Community members looking to bring brownfield benefits to your neighborhood
- In EPA Region 9: Arizona, California, Hawai’i, Nevada or the Pacific Islands
Ready to get started? Schedule a Meeting!
| Region 9: Arizona, California, Hawai’i, Nevada, the Pacific Island, or Tribes within: | Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, or Tribes within: |
Reach New Communities
V2V team members reach out to communities that may not have land reuse experience or capacity to discuss all needs of a community and identify solutions and support brownfield funding can provide to achieve community priorities.
Build Local Capacity
Redeveloped brownfields create jobs and build wealth locally. Our goal is to be an early partner in community efforts to reuse vacant land to promote a vibrant, healthier, and stronger community.
Support Community Champions
Brownfield programs thrive with strong local leadership! CCLR and EPA can answer your questions about capacity building, grant support, stacking funding, grant management, and more.
Impact
Devyn Rainwater
Program Manager, Center for Creative Land Recycling
Devyn serves as a manager for various programs at CCLR, including the USEPA R9 Vacant to Vibrant outreach effort. She supports CCLR’s land-reuse TA delivery for EPA R9 and R10.
Brooklyn James
Project Officer, EPA Region 9
Brooklyn is a member of the US EPA R9 Brownfields Team who focuses on brownfields projects in Northern California. She also leads various brownfields revitalization outreach efforts, including the Vacant to Vibrant program.
Jean Hamerman
Executive Director, Center for Creative Land Recycling
Jean Hamerman has more than 30 years of experience in working to advance economic and environmental justice. Having worked in various positions at CCLR, Jean has a keen understanding of the brownfield redevelopment field.
Learn about the land reuse process and support provided by EPA and CCLR by RSVPing to an upcoming Vacant to Vibrant webinar
What is a brownfield? How are they identified? How can the EPA help with my brownfields? Answer these and more questions on our ‘Getting Started’ page
EPA operates an annual competitive grant application period to support brownfield reuse, and provides cost-free Targeted Brownfield Assessments.
