everything.study
11.401

Introduction to Housing, Community, and Economic Development

3-0-9 units · Graduate

Provides a critical introduction to the shape and determinants of political, social, and economic inequality in America, with a focus on racial and economic justice. Explores the role of the city in visions of justice. Analyzes the historical, political, and institutional contexts of housing and community development policy in the US, including federalism, municipal fragmentation, and decentralized public financing. Introduces major dimensions in US housing policy, such as housing finance, public housing policy, and state and local housing affordability mechanisms. Reviews major themes in community economic development, including drivers of economic inequality, small business policy, employment policy, and cooperative economics. Expectations and evaluation criteria differ for students taking graduate version.

Fall 2015

Topics

  • Introductory Class: The “just city” in context: Trends, dilemmas, scales (neighborhood, city / town, region).
  • The Just City: Equitable development concepts and cross-national comparisons.
  • Demographic shifts and neighborhood change: Segregation, migration, and aging.
  • Income, wealth, and the political economy of inequality.
  • Civic context: Engagement and political representation.
  • The nature of community in 21st century America: Networks, places, social capital.
  • History and development: Politics and program.
  • Institutional context: CDCs and other CBOs, intermediaries, government, foundations / donors, labor unions and other, private partners.
  • Governance at multiple scales (neighborhood, city, region): Issues of representation, accountability, co-production, coalitions, power.
  • Housing markets and policy (A): Supply and demand fundamentals, shifting preferences, efficiency and affordability outcomes.
  • Housing markets and policy (B): Homeownership.
  • Rental housing.
  • Housing as a market good: Gentrification and fair housing.
  • Affordable housing, smart growth, and regional land use.
  • Alternative housing models: Land trusts and more.
  • Mobility and the tensions between fair housing, affordable housing, and community development.
  • Introduction to LED.
  • Workforce development and cooperative enterprise.
  • Fostering and upgrading manufacturing.
  • Toward the healthy city.
  • Course review.
  • Final team briefings.

Readings

Fall 2003 · Introduction to Housing, Community and Economic Development

Topics

  • Introduction and Course Overview: The Diversity of Urban Neighborhoods
  • A Framework for Analyzing Urban Neighborhoods
  • Neighborhoods and Community I
  • Neighborhoods and Community II
  • Neighborhood Diversity and the Metropolitan Community
  • Community Development I: Origins and Transformations
  • Community Development II: The Current Scene
  • Community Organizing in the Neighborhood I
  • Historic Perspective I
  • Historic Perspective II
  • Public Housing and Community Development
  • Affordable Rental Housing: Preserving the Stock
  • Community Economic Development: The Issues, the Record and the Debates - Part I
  • Community Economic Development - Part II
  • Sources of Capital
  • Welfare, Work and Job Training I
  • Crime Security and Community Development
  • Education and Community Development
  • Faith-based Organizations and Community Development
  • Summing Up, Course Reflections etc.

Readings

  • Ferguson, Ronald F. and William T. Stoutland. “Reconceiving the Community Development Field.” In Urban Problems and Community Development. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 1999, pp. 33-68.
    Listed reading
  • Keyes, Langley. “Housing Social Capital and Poor Communities.” In Social Capital and Poor Communities. Edited by Saegert, et al. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2001, pp. 136-142, and 155-161.
    Listed reading
  • Downes, A. Neighborhoods and Urban Development. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 1981, ch. 1, 2, 5, and 6.
    Listed reading
  • Halpern, Robert. “Introduction and Conclusions.” In Rebuilding the Inner City. New York: Columbia University Press, 1995.
    Listed reading
  • Massey, and Denton. American Apartheid. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1993, ch. 1.
    Listed reading
  • Sampson, Robert. “What Community Supplies.” In Urban Problems and Community Development. pp. 241-279.
    Listed reading
  • Dionne, E. J. “The Quest for Community (Again).” The American Prospect, no. 10 (1992).
    Listed reading
  • McKnight, John. “Regenerating Community.” Social Policy (1987).
    Listed reading
  • Skocpol, Theda. “Civic Dissociation.” CommonWealth (2003): 70-77.
    Listed reading
  • Kennedy, and Leonard. Dealing with Neighborhood Change: A Primer on Gentrification and Policy Choices . Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2001, pp. 1-41.
    Listed reading
  • Bollens, Scott A. “In through the Back Door: Social Equity and Regional Governance.” Housing Policy Debate 13, no. 4 (1993).
    Listed reading
  • Yin, Robert K. and Douglas Yates. “Economic Development.” In Street Level Governments. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books, 1975, pp. 141-155.
    Listed reading
  • Frieden, Bernard J. and Marshall Kaplan. “Defining the Urban Problem.” Chapter 2 in The Politics of Neglect. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1975, pp. 14-34.
    Listed reading
  • O’Connor, Alice. “Evaluating Comprehensive Community Initiatives: A View from History.” In New Approaches to Evaluating Community Initiatives, edited by James P. Connell, et al, 23-63. Queenstown, MD: Roundtable on Comprehensive Community Initiatives for Children and Families, Aspen Institute, 1995.
    Listed reading
  • Walker, and Weinheimer. Community Development In The 1990s. Washington, DC: Urban Institute Press, 1998, ch. 1 and 5.
    Listed reading
  • Stoecker, Randy. “The CDC Model of Urban Redevelopment: A Critique and Alternative.” Journal of Urban Affairs 19, no. 1 (1997): 1-43.
    Listed reading
  • Kubish, Anne. “ Comprehensive Community Initiatives: Lessons in Neighborhood Transformation .” Shelterforce no. 85 (1996). ↗
    Listed reading
  • Castells, Manuel. “Neighborhood Mobilization in San Francisco’s Mission District.” In The City and the Grassroots. Berkeley: The University of California Press, 1983, pp. 106-137.
    Listed reading
  • Delgado, Gary. Organizing the Movement: The Roots and Growth of ACORN. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, pp. 13-28, 63-90.
    Listed reading
  • Hertz, Judy. “Organizing for Change: Stories of Success.” Paper presented on COMM-ORG . March 2002. ↗
    Listed reading
  • Marcuse, P. “Housing in Early City Planning.” Journal of Urban History (1980): 153-170.
    Listed reading
  • Friedman, L. Government and Slum Housing. New York: Arno Press, 1968, Prologue, chapter I, and Epilogue.
    Listed reading
  • Sternlieb, and Listokin. “A Review of National Housing Policy.” In Housing America’s Poor. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1987, ch. 2.
    Listed reading
  • Marcuse, P. “Housing Policy and the Myth of the Benevolent State.” In Critical Perspectives on Housing. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1986, ch. 14.
    Listed reading
  • “To House a Nation: An Overview.” In The Report of the President’s Commission on Housing. (1982) xvii-xxxv.
    Listed reading
  • Keyes, and DiPasquale. “Housing Policy for the 1990’s.” Chapter 1 in Building Foundations. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1990.
    Listed reading
  • Hartman, and Stone. “A Socialist Housing Alternative for the United States.” In Critical Perspectives on Housing. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1986, ch. 29.
    Listed reading
  • Bratt, R. “Public Housing: The Controversy and Contribution.” Chapter 20 in Critical Perspectives on Housing.
    Listed reading
  • Stegman, Michael. “The Role of Public Housing in a Revitalized National Housing Policy.” In Building Foundations. Edited by DePasquale, and Keyes. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1990.
    Listed reading
  • Vale, L. “Beyond the Problem Projects Paradigm: Defining and Revitalizing ‘Severely Distressed’ Public Housing.” Housing Policy Debate 4, no. 2 (1993).
    Listed reading
  • Keyes, Langley. “Hope 6 in Orchard Park and Mission Main.” (Department of Urban Studies and Planning, MIT, 2004).
    Listed reading
  • Jacobson, Louis. “ High Hopes. " Government Executive 1 July 1999. ↗
    Listed reading
  • National Housing Law Project, et al. False Hope: A Critical Assessment of HOPE 6. (June 2002). ( PDF ) ↗
    Listed reading
  • Stockard, J. H. “A Guide to Comprehensive Property Management.” Delft, Netherlands: Delft University Press, 1992, pp. 1-61.
    Listed reading
  • Bratt, et al. Confronting the Management Challenge. Philadelphia: Temple University Press: pp. 69-142.
    Listed reading
  • Keyes, L. “Organizational Issues.” In Strategies and Saints. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute Press, 1992. ch. 8.
    Listed reading
  • Briggs, and Mueller. From Neighborhood to Community. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1997, pp. 103-144.
    Listed reading
  • Teitz, Michel. “Neighborhood Economics: Local Communities and Regional Markets.” Economic Development Quarterly (1989): 111-122.
    Listed reading
  • Wiewel, Wim, et al. “The Linkage between Regional and Neighborhood Development.” Economic Development Quarterly (1989): 94-110.
    Listed reading
  • Bendick, and Egan. “Business Development in the Inner-City: Enterprise with Community Links.” Community Development Research Center, February 1991.
    Listed reading
  • Lemann, Nicholas. “The Myth of Community Development.” New York Times Magazine, January 9, 1994.
    Listed reading
  • Gore, Zdenek, and Sleeper. “Responses to Lemann.” Shelterforce (March 1994).
    Listed reading
  • Porter, Michael. “The Competitive Advantage of the Inner City.” Harvard Business Review , (May-June 1995).
    Listed reading
  • Porter, and Habiby. “A Window on the New Economy.” Inc., Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1999.
    Listed reading
  • LEC #: 18 · TOPICS: Sources of Capital · READINGS: Parzen, and Kieschnick. Credit Where It’s Due. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, pp. 1-66.
    Reading assignment
  • Herr, et al. “Making the Shoe Fit.” In Project Match. December 1996, pp. 1-26, and 55-58.
    Listed reading
  • Dressner, et al. “Next Door: A Concept Paper for Place-based Employment Initiatives.” Corporation for Supportive Housing, September 1998.
    Listed reading
  • “Bridges to the Future.” Second Year Report 2001-2002.
    Listed reading
  • “Workforce Development: An Agenda for Massachusetts’ Next Governor.” Massachusetts Workforce Alliance, 2003.
    Listed reading
  • Taub, Richard, et al. Paths of Neighborhood Change: Race and Crime in Urban America. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, ch. 1 and 8.
    Listed reading
  • Keyes, Langley. “Anti-Crime and Management Research and Demonstration.” In Strategies and Saints. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute Press, 1999, ch.2.
    Listed reading
  • Thatcher, David. “Ties that Bind? Confronting Value Conflict in Community Policing.” DUSP, PhD Thesis. 1999, pp. 90-113.
    Listed reading
  • Meyer, et al. “Bethel New Life: Safety.” In On the Ground with CCI’s. Enterprise Foundation, 2000.
    Listed reading
  • Fruchter, Norm. “Challenging Failing Schools.” Shelterforce (2001).
    Listed reading
  • Jehl, Blank, and McCloud. “Education and Community Building: Connecting Two Worlds.” Institute for Educational Leadership, 2001.
    Listed reading
  • Meares, Tracey L. “Churches, Communities and Crime: A Community-focused Model of Faith-based Initiatives.” September 2001. (Draft)
    Listed reading
  • Vidal, Avis. Faith-based Organizations in Community Development. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute Press, 2001.
    Listed reading
  • Skocpol, Theda. Religion, Civil Society, and Social Provision in the US. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2000, ch. 1.
    Listed reading

Prerequisites & course information

Subject meets with 11.041 Prereq: None G (Fall) 3-0-9 units

Sources