Poverty/Community Development/Economic Development

Poverty line

- the official measure of poverty; calculated to include incomes that are less than three times a low-cost food budget

-assessing economic development and the well-being of a population, helping policymakers identify and address poverty-related challenges.

Spatial market failures

- instances where traditional market mechanisms fail to efficiently allocate resources or address economic issues within specific geographic areas.

-crucial considerations in community development, as they highlight disparities and challenges that may require targeted interventions to promote economic growth and equity.

Targeting

- focused allocation of resources or interventions to specific groups, areas, or populations.

-Targeting aims to address specific needs or challenges within a community, tailoring interventions to maximize impact and effectiveness.

Coverage

- extent to which a particular intervention, service, or policy reaches the intended population or geographic area.

Mobility

-The ability and ease with which individuals or goods can move within and between different locations

-influencing accessibility to jobs, education, healthcare, and other essential services, which, in turn, impacts economic opportunities and overall well-being.

Social capital

- The network of social relationships, interactions, and trust within a community or society,

-Strong social ties and networks contribute to community resilience, shared resources, and effective problem-solving.

Economic connectedness

-interdependence and interaction between different economic entities, such as businesses, industries, and regions, contributing to a networked and integrated economic system.

-influences the overall economic health, job opportunities, and resilience of a community

Friending bias

- tendency to form connections or friendships with individuals who share similar characteristics, opinions, or backgrounds, contributing to social network homogeneity.

-influence community dynamics by shaping social networks, potentially limiting diversity of perspectives and hindering inclusive community development efforts.

Place-based vs. people-based policies

- Place-based policies focus on improving specific geographic areas or communities, aiming to address local challenges.

-People-based policies, on the other hand, target individuals or groups, regardless of their location.

-Place-based policies emphasize the development of specific regions,

- people-based policies prioritize the well-being and empowerment of individuals, recognizing that effective community development may require a combination of both approaches.

Community Land Trust

- nonprofit corporation that holds land on behalf of a place-based community, while serving as the long-term steward for affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings, commercial spaces and other community assets on behalf of a community.

-CLT's utilize money from startup capital sources such as city grants, community foundations, banks etc. to develop and preserve homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income households at or below 80 percent of the area median income.

-acquire and hold the land in trust in order to ensure permanently affordable access to housing/land for community members.

Community Reinvestment Act

-Required banks to make loans available in low income, minority communities

-promote community development and activities that benefit the neighborhoods in which they are located, fostering economic growth and access to financial services.

Community Development Corporation

-non-profit organizations that are created to support and revitalize communities, especially those that are impoverished or struggling.

Asset

- valuable resource or attribute within a community that can be leveraged for positive social, economic, or cultural development.

-empowers communities to utilize their strengths for sustainable growth and well-being.

Community vs. neighborhood

Communities are groups of people with a common identity, history, shared interests, social connections.

Neighborhoods are place-based aggregations of homes, institutions, firms and natural areas and often involve inter-dependencies between

households and institutions.

Neighborhoods often have boundaries that distinguish them from other neighborhoods; communities may overlap or have no boundaries at all.

The distinction is important for explaining the difference between neighborhood planning (place-based improvements and design) and

community development (improvement on the well-being of the "community" through their economic and political empowerment

Growth vs Development

Growth: increase in size

Development: increase in capability or function

Empowerment Zones

-An area where private enterprise (investment) is encouraged by reducing taxes and government regulations

-The economically depressed urban areas that businesses, with the help of government grants, low-interest loans, and tax breaks, try to revive by creating jobs; also known as enterprise zones

Self-help

-emphasizing the importance of community empowerment, collaboration, and resourcefulness in achieving sustainable and positive outcomes.

Technical assistance

- Support provided by experts or professionals with specialized knowledge and skills to help individuals, organizations, or communities address specific challenges, improve processes, or build capacity.

-offering targeted expertise to enhance the effectiveness of community initiatives, programs, and projects.

Food Deserts and Dollar Stores—what's the connection?

- Dollar stores, such as Dollar General and Family Dollar, are often found in areas designated as food deserts.

-Food deserts are regions with limited access to affordable, nutritious food, typically due to a lack of grocery stores or fresh food retailers.

-Dollar stores may become prevalent in food deserts

-may not provide a comprehensive selection of fresh and healthy food options, contributing to challenges in addressing nutritional needs within these communities.