Unlocking Housing Potential: A Review of Blighted Residential Properties as a Remedy for Memphis's Housing Supply Crisis

Memphis faces a profound affordable housing shortage, compounded by long-standing patterns of vacancy, abandonment, and neighborhood disinvestment. This paper synthesizes existing research, policy approaches, and collaborative models to examine how blighted residential properties can be repositioned as a critical component of Memphis’s housing supply strategy. Drawing upon literature on urban blight, community land trusts (CLTs), land banks, and shared-equity models, the paper argues that blighted properties rather than being viewed solely as liabilities constitute an underutilized pipeline for permanently affordable housing. Through comparative case studies, stakeholder analysis, and a review of Memphis’s current housing landscape, this article proposes an integrated CLT–Land Bank strategy capable of converting blighted parcels into sustainable, community-controlled housing. This approach offers a pathway for Memphis to address its housing deficit, stabilize neighborhoods, and build long-term affordability in the face of rising displacement pressures.