Regional and local governments awarded grants for GIS and GPS technology innovation

Redlands, USA, 19 December 2006 - ESRI, the National Vacant Properties Campaign, and Magellan have announced the winners of the ‘National Vacant and Abandoned Properties Grant Program’. Fifty thousand dollars in software, hardware, and training grants has been awarded to 10 U.S. local and regional governments.

The 2006 ESRI, National Vacant Properties Campaign, and Magellan National Vacant and Abandoned Properties Grant Program recipients are:

- City of Opa-locka, Florida, Community Development Department
- City of Detroit, Michigan, Department of Environmental Affairs
- City of Trenton, New Jersey, Department of Housing and Economic Development
- City of Gretna, Louisiana, Mayor’s Office
- City of Boston, Massachusetts, Department of Neighborhood Development
- City of Ashland, Wisconsin, Department of Planning and Development
- City of Spokane, Washington, Economic Development Division
- Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, Iowa (four counties)
- City of Alton, Texas, Planning Department
- City of New Orleans, Louisiana, Redevelopment Authority

The goal of the grant programme is to foster innovative approaches to solve government and community problems through the combined use of GIS and GPS technology. Grants were awarded to governments that proposed GIS and GPS applications that will produce or enhance property inventory and encourage redevelopment of vacant or abandoned properties within the United States.

The recipients will create and share reusable GIS and GPS applications that governments with similar projects can access via an ESRI public domain Web site at www.esri.com/arcscripts. Exchanging ideas and resources on issues that affect their communities enables governments to meet objectives and better serve the public. The public domain templates provide a starting point for the government community to share applications.

Source : http://www.esri.com