In London, landlords are taxed if their property is not being used. The landlord could make the property available to charities or it could be rented out, as long as it is being used. This works as a great incentive for the owner to maintain the property and if it is pending a development application, or is just not the right time to sell or rent it, then there are plenty of charities that could make use of it. Check 3Space, London for more inspiration: http://www.3space.org/
I fully support this idea. However, one must keep in mind that not all owners of such properties are financially able to renovate and thus be able to rent the property. Most owners would rather rent than sell. Therefore this should be accompanied by an appropriate renovation scheme/financial support.
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation