Using GIS To Make Parcel-Based Real Estate Decisions for Local Government: A Financial and Environmental Analysis of Residential Lot Redevelopment in a Cleveland Neighborhood

This study applies geographic information systems (GIS) to a public real estate problem: how to select residential housing sites for redevelopment in an inner city neighborhood. The objective is to identify the least expensive combination of parcels which could be assembled by the city for redevelopment. The study area is an older environmentally contaminated (brownfield), inner-city neighborhood in Cleveland that has experienced substantial tax delinquency. We use GIS by creating a polygon base map, and merging it with a local assessor and other data. SQL capabilities of the software system are used to develop the analysis and provide results to the city. Our study demonstrates that GIS can be helpful as decision support for local government in real estate redevelopment.