Archives For: Blight Fight

Pittsburgh Taxing Bodies Agree to Give Land Bank Power to Move Along Blighted Properties

Last week, the city, the city’s school district and the county signed an agreement allowing the Pittsburgh Land Bank a priority bid on properties during a sheriff’s sale.

20 Nov 2025

Blighted to Brand New: Land Bank Authority Celebrates Completed Rehabilitation Project

The Calhoun County Land Bank Authority is celebrating the completion of its first rehab project funded through the State Land Bank’s Blight Elimination Grant.

18 Nov 2025

Land Bank Celebrates Dansville Property Development

The Livingston County Land Bank Corporation has redeveloped a previously vacant property in Dansville into an affordable home.

17 Nov 2025

Killeen Councilman to Call for Land Banks as a Solution to Abandoned Properties

A Killeen, TX councilman has requested the city consider a land bank program as a means to combat abandoned properties within the city.

6 Oct 2025

Birmingham Residents Say Land Bank Information Sessions are Vital to Help with Vacant Properties

The city of Birmingham is working to bring new life to abandoned properties in conjunction with the Birmingham Land Bank.

4 Oct 2025

New City Ordinance Ups Blighted Property Fines from $100 to $1,000 Per Day

New Haven City Officials signed new legislation increasing municipal blight violations from $100 per day to max of $1,000 per day.

18 Aug 2025

Fighting the Blight with Affordable Housing

The Mississippi Center for Justice is partnering with several cities, including Jackson, to tackle the issue of blight by providing funding.

17 Jun 2025

Arceneaux Announces New ‘Block by Block’ Initiative to Combat Blight

The ongoing fight against blight in Shreveport continues with a new ‘Block by Block’ initiative announced by Mayor Tom Arceneaux.

17 Jun 2025

Leaders in Kansas City’s Ivanhoe Neighborhood Refuse to Let Federal Budget Cuts Stop Progress

Over the last few decades, the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council has worked with the Kansas City Land Bank to fight blight in the neighborhood.

28 May 2025

Blighted Property Database Would Let Pa. Municipalities Track Owners – and Fine Them

PA State Rep. Brandon Markosek put forth a bill that would create a database managed by the state to help keep tabs on blighted properties.

28 May 2025

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CEO

Alan Jaffa

Alan Jaffa is the Chief Executive Officer for Safeguard Properties, steering the company as the mortgage field services industry leader. He also serves on the board of advisors for SCG Partners, a middle-market private equity fund focused on diversifying and expanding Safeguard Properties’ business model into complimentary markets.

Alan joined Safeguard in 1995, learning the business from the ground up. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2002, and was named CEO in May 2010. His hands-on experience has given him unique insights as a leader to innovate, improve and strengthen Safeguard’s processes to assure that the company adheres to the highest standards of quality and customer service.

Under Alan’s leadership, Safeguard has grown significantly with strategies that have included new and expanded services, technology investments that deliver higher quality and greater efficiency to clients, and strategic acquisitions. He takes a team approach to process improvement, involving staff at all levels of the organization to address issues, brainstorm solutions, and identify new and better ways to serve clients.

In 2008, Alan was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business in its annual “40-Under-40” profile of young leaders. He also was named a NEO Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award finalist in 2013.

Esq., General Counsel and EVP

Linda Erkkila

Linda Erkkila is the General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Safeguard Properties, with oversight of legal, human resources, training, and compliance. Linda’s broad scope of oversight covers regulatory issues that impact Safeguard’s operations, risk mitigation, strategic planning, human resources and training initiatives, compliance, insurance, litigation and claims management, and counsel related to mergers, acquisition and joint ventures.

Linda assures that Safeguard’s strategic initiatives align with its resources, leverage opportunities across the company, and contemplate compliance mandates. She has practiced law for 25 years and her experience, both as outside and in-house counsel, covers a wide range of corporate matters, including regulatory disclosure, corporate governance compliance, risk assessment, compensation and benefits, litigation management, and mergers and acquisitions.

Linda earned her JD at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She holds a degree in economics from Miami University and an MBA. Linda was previously named as both a “Woman of Influence” by HousingWire and as a “Leading Lady” by MReport.

COO

Michael Greenbaum

Michael Greenbaum is the Chief Operating Officer of Safeguard Properties, where he has played a pivotal role since joining the company in July 2010. Initially brought on as Vice President of REO, Mike’s exceptional leadership and strategic vision quickly propelled him to Vice President of Operations in 2013, and ultimately to COO in 2015. Over his 14-year tenure at Safeguard, Mike has been instrumental in driving change and fostering innovation within the Property Preservation sector, consistently delivering excellence and becoming a trusted partner to clients and investors.

A distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Mike earned a degree in Quantitative Economics. Following his graduation, he served in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Branch, where he specialized in supply chain management. Before his tenure at Safeguard, Mike honed his expertise by managing global supply chains for 13 years, leveraging his military and civilian experience to lead with precision and efficacy.

CFO

Joe Iafigliola

Joe Iafigliola is the Chief Financial Officer for Safeguard Properties. Joe is responsible for the Control, Quality Assurance, Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, and Information Security departments. At the core of his responsibilities is the drive to ensure that Safeguard’s focus remains rooted in Customer Service = Resolution. Through his executive leadership role, he actively supports SGPNOW.com, an on-demand service geared towards real estate and property management professionals as well as individual home owners in need of inspection and property preservation services. Joe is also an integral force behind Compliance Connections, a branch of Safeguard Properties that allows code enforcement professionals to report violations at properties that can then be addressed by the Safeguard vendor network. Compliance Connections also researches and shares vacant property ordinance information with Safeguard clients.

Joe has an MBA from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University’s Honors Accounting program.

Business Development

Carrie Tackett

Business Development Safeguard Properties