Publications & Research

In 2013, NeighborGood Partners, a community development organization based in Dover, Delaware, joined forces with a dedicated committee of partners to lead the Restoring Central Dover (RCD) initiative—a comprehensive revitalization effort. Funded by grants from the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation, Healthy Communities Delaware and NeighborWorks America, this initiative aimed to address critical needs such as affordable housing, economic growth, safety, and essential services.

In the United States, 2.7 million homeowners live in manufactured home communities, which offer an important source of
unsubsidized affordable housing. Yet most mobile home communities are commercially owned, leaving homeowners vulnerable
to displacement as communities are sold and subject to lot rent increases that cause financial strain to residents. Through the Resident Owned-Community (ROC) model, NeighborWorks Montana (NWMT) assists manufactured home residents in taking ownership of their communities, providing stability for homeowners while fostering engaged communities across the state.

Just north of Pensacola, Florida, Cantonment’s predominately African American community encapsulates a deep legacy, with many
residences passed down through families for generations. However, in a community with an aging population living in older homes,
many residents are unable to manage the financial strains of upkeep, often losing their family legacy to deterioration. Pensacola
Habitat for Humanity is performing critical home repairs in Cantonment to improve the residents’ standard of living and to help preserve the community’s legacy and generational assets.

St. Joseph’s Carpenter Society (SJCS) has long been a cornerstone in Camden, New Jersey’s revitalization initiatives. Originally
founded to strengthen and restore East Camden neighborhoods through affordable housing, SJCS’s revitalization efforts over the last 30 years have increased property values and stabilized mixed-income neighborhoods. Their work has expanded to support vibrant commercial and residential corridors, empowering residents and inspiring community engagement far beyond East Camden.

In 2022, Beyond Housing partnered with Tabatha Kittrell, a NeighborWorks America VISTA, to uncover barriers faced by aspiring entrepreneurs in St. Louis. Their efforts are fostering opportunities, driving growth, and revitalizing under-resourced communities.

How Community-Based Organizations Serve as Backbones or Partners to Increase Local Coordination, Expand System Capacity, And Improve Local Health Outcomes

Nonprofit housing organizations are using accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to meet the demand for affordable housing in the United States. ADUs increase opportunities for multifamily housing and are reported to stimulate affordable rental rates, though restrictive zoning laws have impeded their widespread development in some municipalities. This paper considers how nonprofit organizations within and outside of the NeighborWorks America network are working to create the financial and cultural infrastructure to support ADUs in both suburban and urban neighborhoods. It also explores challenges that community development corporations (CDCs) have experienced in developing ADU programs. In doing so, the paper analyzes how nonprofit organizations are using ADUs to provide affordable housing, as well as how ADUs are being adapted to serve different populations and needs.

To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on. It’s also a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial.

Arielle Rawlings’s research draws from the experience of post-pandemic neighborhood change to provide housing and community development practitioners with a framework to illuminate the specific needs of middle neighborhoods, understand the community development programs that can serve these needs, and leverage the lessons learned from the robust work being done by NeighborWorks organizations.

On Aug. 24, 2023, NeighborWorks America convened a group of NeighborWorks network leaders who received Native Partnership grants to expand their work with Native organizations in their communities. During this gathering, more than two dozen leaders spent the day learning from each other, building relationships and sharing strategies.