GIS

Welcome to the GIS Toolbox section of Community Lots, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s online information source for community-based organizations (CBOs). This section provides information specifically tailored for the needs and concerns of CBOs that realize the importance of GIS, and want to learn more about GIS applications for community planning, and for assessing, evaluating and monitoring land (re) development projects and policies in their communities.

Several well-documented applications include tracking neighborhood change (physical, social, environmental and economic); assessing alternatives for placing affordable housing; identifying development opportunities as part of community improvement projects; (re)evaluating policies and practices in unwanted land uses in minority neighborhoods; (re)developing vacant parcels and brownfields; developing greenfields; implementing transit and transportation projects; and assessing the distribution of land holdings.

This site also sponsors a Forum for “peer-to-peer” exchange that allows users to post questions and obtain answers from others who are or have experienced challenges such as data identification and inventory needs and sharing and centralization of data through resource centers or other intermediaries.