While dire economic news and forecasts dominate the media in Louisville and other parts of the country, some good news about Louisville real estate showed up in a most unlikely source. A report on the Philadelphia website, Philly.com, recently discussed a Louisville neighborhood’s success story. Twenty-five years ago, Louisville’s Phoenix Hill neighborhood was a typical example of urban blight with rows of abandoned houses and unkempt properties. Since then and thanks to Louisville homeowners who saw the neighborhood’s potential, Phoenix Hill is a model of urban renewal with an active and engaged neighborhood association. David Kinloch is one of those homebuyers who took a chance on one of the vacant homes and is now enjoying the benefits of living in the revitalized Louisville neighborhood. “We were told that you couldn’t build new housing inside the old city of Louisville,” said Brown Kinloch, a renewable-energy developer. “We proved that not only could you do it, if you made them affordable . . . they’d sell right away.” The grassroots strategy of reclaiming decaying neighborhoods has also taken hold in neighborhoods in other American cities that are struggling with similar problems. In cities such as Detroit, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and others, community groups and local governments are working together to buy properties, create parks and attract business. It’s not easy and requires a great deal of work, but it is working and Louisville’s Phoenix Hill neighborhood is one of the country’s best examples. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in Phoenix Hill or another Louisville neighborhood, contact the Louisville real estate expert at Louisville Properties by filling out a contact form or call 502.744.9504.