Community- and Neighbourhood-Based Organisations in the United States

Community- and neighbourhood-based organisations are, arguably, central to the development of sustainable housing. This article focuses on community- and neighbourhood-based organisations in the United States. These organisations are subdivided into two broad categories in this article. The first concerns grassroots organisations that emerge in neighbourhood contexts. In addition to being locally based, grassroots organisations apply decision-making models that focus on enhancing participation, local control, and neighbourhood governance. This article also examines community-based organisations which, in contrast to grassroots organisations, focus on stimulating housing and economic development. These organisations are more formal in structure and are often sponsored by agencies in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Because community development organisations are dependent on outside institutions for resources, local control of development can be diluted. Consequently, sustainable models for community-based housing development often rely on the presence of both types of organisations. Grassroots organisations play a role in empowering residents and advocating their interests, while community development organisations sustain links to external resources and institutions.