The Ties That Revitalize: Community-Based Organizations and Their Impact on Subjective Well-Being

• In Event: Community Perspectives on School Desegregation and Integration: School Choice, Housing Mobility, and Community Engagement

Abstract

This study examines how community-based organizations (CBOs) are playing an increasingly important role in revitalizing neighborhoods in economically challenged areas across the United States. By focusing on the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) programs, the research explores how the relationships between CBOs, local residents, and government agencies shape the implementation and effectiveness of revitalization policies, especially when it comes to the well-being of residents. Using an exploratory, sequential mixed-methods approach, this study gathers primary data through online surveys and semi-structured interviews with CBO executives and staff who are active in low-income neighborhoods from 2022 to 2023. The findings show that CBOs with strong local connections—both within the communities they serve and with other organizations—tend to be more successful in pushing forward revitalization goals and securing the limited NRTC funds. On the flip side, organizations that lack strong ties to the community or residents face more difficulties in collaborating and accessing the necessary program resources. The findings suggest that CBOs play a pivotal intermediary role in facilitating not only policy implementation but also community voice and equity in urban development.

Author

• David Okereke, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
  Presenting Author