7.4 Community development and urban renewal policies

Community development aims to improve neighborhoods through collaboration between residents, organizations, and government. It focuses on leveraging local assets, building capacity, and fostering social connections. Strategies target issues like affordable housing, economic opportunities, and public spaces.

Urban renewal has historically shaped cities, often displacing low-income communities. Modern approaches emphasize community participation, mixed-income housing, and equitable outcomes. Evaluation considers factors like poverty reduction, job creation, and housing affordability to ensure sustainable, diverse neighborhoods.

Community Development Goals and Principles

Core Concepts and Approaches

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• Community development improves social, economic, and physical conditions of neighborhoods through collaborative efforts between residents, local organizations, and government entities
• Key principles include asset-based approaches, capacity building, and fostering social capital within communities
  • Asset-based approaches focus on leveraging existing community strengths and resources
  • Capacity building enhances skills and knowledge of community members
  • Social capital refers to networks and relationships that facilitate cooperation
• Sustainable community development integrates long-term environmental, economic, and social well-being into planning and implementation processes
  • Environmental factors include green spaces and energy efficiency
  • Economic factors involve job creation and local business support
  • Social factors encompass community cohesion and cultural preservation

Strategies and Challenges

• Community development strategies often target specific issues
  • Affordable housing initiatives (rent control, inclusionary zoning)
  • Economic opportunities (job training programs, small business incubators)
  • Public spaces improvements (parks, community centers)
  • Access to essential services (healthcare clinics, public transportation)
• Urban renewal policies involve large-scale interventions
  • Infrastructure improvements (road upgrades, utility modernization)
  • Housing redevelopment (mixed-income projects, brownfield conversions)
  • Commercial revitalization (Main Street programs, business improvement districts)
• Balancing gentrification concerns with neighborhood improvement presents a critical challenge
  • Gentrification can lead to displacement of long-time residents
  • Strategies to mitigate negative impacts include community land trusts and rent stabilization

Urban Renewal's Impact on Communities

Historical Context and Policies

• Housing Act of 1949 marked the beginning of large-scale urban renewal efforts in the United States
  • Aimed to clear slums and rebuild deteriorating urban areas
  • Provided federal funding for local redevelopment projects
• Urban renewal policies of the 1950s and 1960s often resulted in displacement of low-income and minority communities
  • Criticized as "Negro removal" due to disproportionate impact on African American neighborhoods
  • Exacerbated racial segregation by concentrating public housing in specific areas
• Model Cities Program, initiated in 1966, attempted to address shortcomings of earlier urban renewal efforts
  • Emphasized community participation in planning process
  • Focused on comprehensive approach to urban problems

Legacy and Lessons Learned

• Urban renewal policies significantly shaped physical and social landscapes of cities
  • Influenced patterns of residential segregation (creation of isolated public housing projects)
  • Affected economic development (demolition of small businesses in favor of large-scale commercial developments)
  • Impacted community cohesion (disruption of established social networks)
• Failure of many large-scale public housing projects led to shift in approach
  • Pruitt-Igoe in St. Louis demolished in 1972 due to deteriorating conditions and social problems
  • Shift towards mixed-income housing and smaller-scale interventions
• Historical urban renewal policies contributed to erosion of social networks and cultural heritage
  • Particularly affected minority and immigrant populations
  • Led to loss of community landmarks and gathering places
• Legacy of past urban renewal efforts continues to influence contemporary approaches
  • Emphasis on community engagement in planning process
  • Focus on equitable outcomes and preservation of existing communities

Community Participation in Development

Engagement and Empowerment Strategies

• Community participation involves active engagement of residents in decision-making processes
  • Includes input on neighborhood plans, development projects, and local policies
  • Aims to ensure community needs and preferences are reflected in outcomes
• Empowerment enhances capacity of individuals and groups to make choices and transform them into desired actions
  • Involves building skills, knowledge, and confidence of community members
  • Supports creation of local leadership and advocacy groups
• Participatory planning methods incorporate local knowledge and preferences
  • Charrettes bring together stakeholders for intensive planning sessions
  • Community visioning exercises help establish shared goals and priorities
• Asset-based community development (ABCD) focuses on identifying and mobilizing existing community strengths
  • Maps local skills, resources, and social networks
  • Builds on these assets to address community challenges

Key Players and Challenges

• Community-based organizations (CBOs) and community development corporations (CDCs) facilitate local participation
  • CBOs often focus on specific issues or populations (youth programs, senior services)
  • CDCs typically engage in housing and economic development projects
• Successful community participation requires overcoming various barriers
  • Power imbalances between community members and institutions
  • Lack of resources for sustained engagement (time, funding, expertise)
  • Mistrust between communities and government or developers due to historical experiences
• Measuring impact of community participation involves quantitative and qualitative assessments
  • Quantitative indicators include number of participants, projects implemented
  • Qualitative assessments focus on community satisfaction and sense of empowerment

Evaluating Community Development Strategies

Contemporary Approaches and Metrics

• Current strategies emphasize creating diverse, sustainable neighborhoods
  • Mixed-income housing combines market-rate and affordable units
  • Transit-oriented development focuses on areas near public transportation
  • Walkable neighborhoods prioritize pedestrian-friendly design
• Effectiveness assessed through various metrics
  • Poverty reduction rates in target areas
  • Job creation and local business growth
  • Housing affordability measures (percentage of income spent on housing)
  • Improvements in community health and education outcomes
• Equitable development strategies aim to share benefits across all community segments
  • Targeted programs for historically marginalized groups
  • Community benefit agreements with developers
  • Local hiring requirements for new businesses

Innovative Approaches and Challenges

• Sustainable neighborhood development incorporates environmental considerations
  • Green infrastructure (bioswales, permeable pavements)
  • Energy efficiency measures in buildings
  • Resilience planning for climate change impacts
• Public-private partnerships and innovative financing support implementation
  • Community land trusts preserve long-term affordability
  • Social impact bonds tie investor returns to social outcomes
• Success often depends on addressing systemic issues
  • Racial and economic segregation patterns
  • Access to quality education and job opportunities
  • Environmental justice concerns (distribution of pollution, green spaces)
• Evaluation must consider short-term outcomes and long-term impacts
  • Short-term physical improvements in neighborhood appearance
  • Long-term changes in community stability and economic mobility
  • Ongoing assessment of social cohesion and resident satisfaction