Renowned urban planner Brent Toderian has proposed a vacancy tax on unused properties as a potential strategy to stimulate economic activity in downtown Kingston, Jamaica. The suggestion was made during the fifth Maurice Facey Lecture, held at the Jamaica Conference Centre last week. Toderian, former chief planner for Vancouver, Canada, emphasized that while he is not advocating for immediate implementation, such a tax could incentivize property owners to repurpose derelict buildings and vacant lots for commercial or residential use.
Vacancy tax on idle properties proposed as part of waterfront’s economic revival
