Neighborhood Development Central to this theme is Community Development. Community Development principles identify the basis for building local relationships and organizations, evaluating community needs, organizing decision and participation processes and offering technical assistance. Participation in planning and analysis is complicated by political implications, limited resources, limited data, absence of practical models and the size of the problems being addressed. Neighborhood analysis involves a perspective that is timely, sensitive to trends, comprehensive, aware of assets and liabilities, scaled to very local differences, inclusive of case and other qualitative information and enriched by information available from residents and other local actors. The use of technology in neighborhood development can be an empowering process.
Technology can improve opportunities for access, communication and persuasion.
This does not eliminate, but transforms, the role of advocates and others who have mastered the technology. Emerging computer networks may further communication and collaboration but costs, structure and other barriers could work against these opportunities. Community Systems Community Systems are rarely functional systems. Key political, racial and other rifts produce sharp divisions. A national ideological shift creates additional strains as critical resources are reduced.