Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Stadt- und Regionalsoziologie

Prof. David Varady at Think and Drink

  • Wann 06.11.2017 von 18:00 bis 20:00
  • Wo Universitätsstraße 3b, R002
  • Teilnehmer Prof. Talja Blokland (Chair) Prof. David Varady (Speaker)
  • iCal

Think and Drink Kolloquium am

Institut für Sozialwissenschaften
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Universitätsstraße 3b

10117 Berlin

Raum 002 (Ground Floor/Erdgeschoss)

Prof. David Varady, University of Cincinnati

What Can Dutch Community Enterprises (CEs) Learn from American Community Development Corporations (CDCs)?

The withdrawal of the welfare state has led to more responsibilities assumed by citizen-led initiatives, community enterprises (CEs)  in Europe and community development corporations (CDCs)  in the US.  CEs manage (and sometimes own) properties to generate income and subsequently reinvest this income into a range of social, cultural and economic services that benefit the community. CDCs usually own one asset, rental housing, and use income from rental properties, as well as other sources, to maintain these properties and build new ones.

CEs are well established in the UK. In a 2015 article, Varady, Kleinhans and van Ham identify what British CEs could learn from American CDCs. On the other hand, the Dutch experience with CEs has been far more limited due to restrictions put forth by governmental institutions, the limited freedom CEs have and their high dependency on government (Kleinhans, 2017). Nevertheless, we believe as Dutch CEs grow in numbers and in their level of effort they can benefit from American CDC experience.

The purpose of this paper is to critically review the recent American CDC literature—2010 to the present.  First, how have CDCs evolved over time? Second, what are the key conditions for neighbourhood revitalization impacts?  How are they run and what financial, political and organizational dilemmas (including the role of community in the management of the enterprise) do they face? Finally, what impacts have CDCs had on community revitalization?