This engaging, thought-provoking, and comprehensive text examines the promise and limits of community development by showing students and practitioners how asset-based developments can improve the sustainability and quality of life.

Chapter 1: The Role of Assets in Community-Based Development Whither Community? Growth Versus Development People Versus Place Capacity Building Community Sustainability The Challenge of Regionalism Asset Building Public Participation The Role of Community-Based Organizations Models of Community Development Summary and Conclusions Chapter 2: A History of Community Development in America The Evolution of Community Development Recurring Issues in Community Development Summary and Conclusions Chapter 3: Community Sustainability What Is Community Sustainability? Why Sustainability? The History of Sustainability Approaches to Sustainability Summary and Conclusions Chapter 4: The Community Development Process Community Organizing Public Participation Planning Models, Techniques, and Process Steps Summary and Conclusions Chapter 5: The Role of Community-Based Organizations Community Development Corporations Local Development Corporations Neighborhood Associations Community Youth Organizations Faith-Based Organizations Community Foundations International Nongovernmental Organizations Summary and Conclusions Chapter 6: Human Capital Workforce Development Issues Key Concepts and Debates CBOs and Workforce Development Context for Workforce Development Key Actors and Institutions Local Labor Market Data Developing Goals and Strategies Summary and Conclusions Chapter 7: Social Capital Social Capital Definition and Issues Key Concepts and Debates CBOs and Social Capital Social Capital and Ethnic Enclaves Social Capital and Local Economic Development Assessing Social Capital Summary and Conclusions Chapter 8: Physical Capital Housing Issues Key Concepts and Debates A History of Federal Housing Policy The Role of CBOs in Housing Provision The Impact of CBOs Summary and Conclusions Chapter 9: Financial Capital Financial Capital Issues Key Concepts and Debates Community Credit Institutions Context for Community Credit Institutions Key Actors and Institutions Community Economic Development Finance Predatory Lending Individual Development Accounts Assessing Local Credit Markets Strategies for Building Local Credit Markets Summary and Conclusions Chapter 10: Environmental Capital Forms of Environmental Capital Land Use and Environmental Capital The Roles of Government and the Market Community-Based Organizations Summary and Conclusions Chapter 11: Political Capital Key Concepts and Debates Methods Community-Based Organization and Political Capital Community Collaboration and Political Capital Deliberative Democracy as Political Capital Summary and Conclusions Chapter 12: Cultural Capital Cultural Capital Definition and Issues Key Concepts and Debates Culture and Place Government and CBOs in Cultural Capital Summary and Conclusions Chapter 13: Food, Energy, and Community Local Food Systems and Community Types of Local Food Systems Energy and Local Sustainability Summary and Conclusions Chapter 14: Natural Disasters and Climate Change: The Role of Community Assets What Are Natural Disasters? What Creates Natural Disasters? Responses to Natural Disasters The Role of Community-Based Organizations Summary and Conclusions Chapter 15: The Future of Community Development Fulfilling the Promise of Community-Based Development Local Versus External Initiation of Community Development Community-Based Organizations and International Development An Agenda for Promoting Community Development in America Summary and Conclusions