On Equitable Development Practices

Photographer: Kai Brown

At Civic Projects, we are committed to building equity in development and supporting emerging developers. Specifically, we want to foster more agency-driven forms of development and adhere completely to community needs. And we want to distribute the toolkit of equitable development practices such that a much wider range of developers can participate in economic and environmental sustainability.

We have compiled and synthesized relevant information from a variety of sources about equitable development. This platform is about making accessible the tools and language of planning, design, and development, with a particular focus on designing high-quality and environmentally conscious structures that build community wealth. It was written for a wide range of people who all share a commitment to making life better in their neighborhoods, including residents and emerging developers who are interested in investing in the economic development of their neighborhoods. We aim to encourage community members to participate in development efforts, developers to incorporate more equitable practices, and individuals to maximize positive social impact.

At the core of our work is the idea that equitable development is within reach. While some residents may have a stronger desire to build within their neighborhood than others, we firmly believe that familiarizing everyone with the tools and language of development will lead to stronger communities. Knowledge is power, and being comfortable with the tools and language of development will allow all community members to have their voices heard and to impact development initiatives coming to their neighborhoods.

Through a historical analysis of development practices and series of discussions on The Built Environment, The Natural Environment, Economic Opportunity, Housing, Community Wealth Building, and Community Engagement, we hope to demonstrate that:

• equitable development is attainable;

• equitable development can be accomplished through local approaches;

• equitable development strengthens community wealth';

• equitable development has direct benefits.

Until we address existing wealth inequality and remediate the racist and segregationist policies that have and continue to inform the planning and design of communities, there will be limited opportunities for equitable development and community wealth building across the United States. Meaningful change will only come to under-resourced urban neighborhoods when development becomes inclusive.