ABSTRACT
Among the important shifts in the community development movement over the last decade has been the incorporation of “community building,” practice, resulting in a more comprehensive approach to community renewal than has been practiced in the past and challenging community-based organizations such as CDCs to broaden their efforts and reconnect with residents. In the process these same organizations have been retooling and reexamining their relationship with, and role within, the communities they serve. Practitioners, funders, and policy experts in our field are exploring a broader approach to community redevelopment which includes an aggressive effort to redevelop the civic and social infrastructure alongside the physical infrastructure.
