Economic Development Archives - Community Engagement Learning ExchangeCommunity Engagement Learning Exchange

Housing Builds a Healthy Economy

This entry was contributed by Beth McKee-Huger, on December 21st, 2017 at 1:18 pm and is filed under Capacity Building, Community Partnerships, Housing, Innovation, Outreach Methods, Social Justice.

How can housing, health, and employment build a healthy economy?

What happens when housing declines?

How can we engage our community in re-building a healthy economy?

I’m glad to show the positive connections between safe and affordable housing and benefits to the community and individuals of a stronger local economy and healthier people. As the graphic above shows, what we sometimes think of as separate things – jobs and economic activity, or asthma and health care – actually link back to housing.

Here’s what I see in Greensboro – I’m eager to hear how other communities are working on similar kinds of engagement of residents, citizens, health care people, and university resources. Continue Reading

When well meaning people gather to try to solve an important social issue

This entry was contributed by Michelle Bir, on February 2nd, 2017 at 9:00 am and is filed under Dialogue & Deliberation, Diversity, Elected Officials, Innovation, Outreach Methods, Public Meetings, Social Justice.

When well meaning people gather to try to solve an important social issue, sometimes the people policy is aimed to assist are lost sight of in the conversations.

In a land far, far away, a place you’ve never heard of, a group of eight people gathered in a conference room to address the needs of the homeless community. The group was comprised of city and county officials, politicians and a reporter. The reporter was me. The group, with varied experience with the issue talked about the need of emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent affordable housing.

The city doesn’t have a huge problem with homelessness as of yet, but economic development strategies carried out by city officials at the direction of city politicians will add growth to the city in the years to come and could upgrade the “small” problem to a full blown disaster.

A City Can Build Streets, But it Takes Residents to Build a Community

This entry was contributed by Sabrina Colón, on October 20th, 2016 at 2:18 pm and is filed under Civic Education, Dialogue & Deliberation, Diversity, Uncategorized.

Charlotte’s West End is among the oldest and most culturally rich areas of the city. With neighborhoods dating back to the late 1800’s, this area has served as a hub for the African-American community for generations. From long standing community service organizations to educational institutions such as Johnson C. Smith University to more than 330 acres of greenspace, there is a strong community built on Charlotte’s west side and many people invested in its future.

The Role of Grass Roots Community Development Organizations within Community Development Initiatives

This entry was contributed by Clarence Terry, Philip Azar, Clarence & Philip, on August 11th, 2016 at 5:13 pm and is filed under Community Partnerships, Uncategorized.

We have witnessed and participated in the dialogue between community, politicians, government, nonprofits and other stakeholders when a well-meaning economic development initiative came to a community they care for. Old East Durham is a community undergoing rapid transformation, with issues of displacement and gentrification widely acknowledged. Economic benefits for the members of the community whose profiles in material poverty were used to justify the initiative very much remain an open question.

We are aware that the portrayal in this article of politicians, government officials and nonprofits is somewhat flattened and that these stakeholders, individually and collectively, have additional incentives, but the incentives we focus on exist, dominate, and are ignored at great peril to the community. Continue Reading