The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina underscored the persistence of neighborhood poverty, segregation, and disinvestment not only in New Orleans but in many cities all over the country. Revitalizing these isolated neighborhoods will take more than just affordable housing. Rather, quality educational opportunities, convenient transportation options, living-wage jobs, affordable health care, community leadership and safe public spaces are other critical elements that should be part of a comprehensive community development strategy. In this section, we explore the issues contributing to extreme concentrations of poverty and highlight projects and programs that are aiming to rebuild neighborhoods in holistic and sustainable ways.

The Enduring Challenge of Concentrated Poverty in America
In 2006, the Community Affairs Offices of the Federal Reserve System partnered with the Brookings Institution to examine the issue of concentrated poverty. The resulting report, The Enduring Challenge of Concentrated Poverty in America: Case Studies from Communities Across the U.S. contributes to our understanding of the dynamics of poor people living in poor communities, and the policies that will be needed to bring both into the economic mainstream. Download Full Report (PDF 6.8MB)

Tackling Neighborhood Poverty: Developing Strategic Approaches to Community Development (Vol. 17; No. 4)
by Carolina Reid

Credit Where It Counts: The CRA’s Role in Revitalizing Low- and Moderate- Income Communities (Vol. 17; No. 4)
by Michael Barr

Place Matters: How Community Development Departments Are Rediscovering Communities (Vol. 17; No. 4)
by Elwood Hopkins and Daniel Tellalian, Emerging Markets, Inc.

Neighborhoods in Bloom: Measuring the Impact of Targeted Community Investments (Vol 17, No. 4)
By Carolina Reid 

Works in Progress: Comprehensive Approaches to Community Development (Vol 17; No. 4)
By Naomi Cytron 

Community Investments Articles on Education

Back to School: Prioritizing Education in Community Development Efforts (Vol. 19, No. 2)
By Carolina Reid 

The Power of Preschool: Early Investment Yields Solid Returns (Vol. 19, No. 2)
By Kathleen Reich, Preschool Grantmaking, The David and Lucille Packard Foundation

The Economics of Early Childhood Development as Seen by Two Fed Economists (Vol. 19, No. 2)
By Arthur J. Rolnick and Rob Grunewald, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Linking Community Development and School Improvement: An Interview with Professor Mark Warren (Vol. 19, No. 2)

The Community Development Education Connection: Reviving cities, transforming schools and engaging young people in the process (Vol. 19, No. 2)
By Deborah McKoy, Director for Cities & Schools, U.C. Berkeley

Financing Childcare: Innovative Approaches (September 2000)
by Jodi Nishioka, Planner, Project Lift-Off; City of Seattle

Community Investments Articles on Immigrant Issues

Community Investments Issue on Immigrant Communities (Vol 18; No. 2)

Creating Cultural Windows to Banking Opportunities (Vol 11; No. 3)
By Gilda Haas, Executive Director, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy

Community Investments Articles on Environmental Issues

Greenlining Western Brownfields (Vol 8; No. 4)
by Katerina Villanueva, Research Fellow, The Greenlining Institute

It’s Getting Easier to Be Green: Cultivating the intersections between community development and environmental sustainability (Vol. 20; No. 2)
By Naomi Cytron

Industrial Decline and the Opportunities and Challenges of Brownfield Redevelopment (Vol. 20; No. 2)
By Michael R. Greenberg, Henry Mayer, Karen Lowrie and Judith Shaw of the National Center for Neighborhood and Brownfields Redevelopment, E.J. Bloustein School of Public Policy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Case Study: Transforming a Brownfield in Baltimore (Vol. 20; No. 2)
By Greg Lewis, Northwest-Midwest Institute

Re-Building It Green (Vol. 20; No. 2)
By Jennifer Somers, Local Initiatives Support Corporation/Bay Area

Environmental Justice (Vol. 20; No. 2)
By Vivian Pacheco

Triple-Bottom Line Investing: Balancing financial, social and environmental returns (Vol. 20; No. 2)
By Jed Emerson, Managing Director, Integrated Performance, Uhuru Capital, Tim Freundlich, Calvert Social Investment Foundation, Good Capital and xigi.net, and Shari Berenbach, Calvert Social Investment Foundation

Community Investments Articles on Rural Issues

Addressing Community and Economic Development in Rural America: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities (Vol 19; No. 1)
By Naomi Cytron

Si Se Puede: Developing Farmworker Housing in the 12th District
(Vol 19; No. 1)
By Vivian Pacheco

Lending for Rural Development Projects: Infrastructure, Community Facilities, and Affordable Housing (Vol 19; No. 1)
By Robert Longman, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, a nonprofit CDFI Loan Fund

Morphing Rural Community Development Models: The Nexus between the Past and the Future (Vol 19; No. 1)
By John C. Allen, Western Rural Development  Center

Native Community Development Financial Institutions (Vol 19; No. 1)
By Carolina Reid

Big Lessons from Small Rural Communities: Working to Reduce Poverty Long Term (Vol 19; No. 1)
By Karl Stauber, Northwest Area Foundation

Rural LISC: A Year of Rural Progress (Vol 9; No.1)  
By Sharon Baranofsky, Western Region Program Director, Rural LISC

Community Investments Articles on Community Development and Health

Combating Supermarket Flight in Los Angeles (Vol 9; No. 3)
By Michelle Mascarenhas, Project Manager, U.C.L.A. Community Food Security Project
Reprinted with permission from The Urban Ecologist