Community Economic Development Dissertations

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https://hdl.handle.net/10474/7

The mission of the Community Economic Development program is to build better practices and policies that serve low-income and marginalized communities around the globe. Community economic development gives people control over their economic futures by developing leadership in the poorest communities and eliminating the apathy that can result from generations of poverty and neglect.

The dissertation collection is focused on original research and skills to shape policy at local, regional, national or international levels. Students specialized in one concentration in Community Economic Development (theory, policy, or management).

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Now showing 1 - 13 of 13

Key determinants in building financial capability among middle schoolers with a school-based financial literacy education program
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2012-09) Bolanos, Antoinette B.; Rivera, Jolan; Fenton, Marilyn; Paddack, Megan
Rising in importance at various life stages, financial literacy and welfare-enhancing financial behaviors are crucial life-skills for youth to develop in their early teens. Financial capabilities could be built in schools to keep pace with today’s fast-changing and complex financial marketplace. Their financial decisions will influence their future economic well-being. This study examined the relative effectiveness of variations of a co-curricular financial literacy education program offered to eight graders of a Middle School in New England. Mixed methods were utilized first, to determine differences in program effects at improving the students’ financial literacy and changing their financial attitudes and behaviors; and second, to uncover the determinants of the outcomes in building the students’ financial capability. There were differences found in degrees of improvements in financial knowledge and financial attitudes between each one and another variant of the program. Intervening variables, including influences of the family and peers, having a job and access to money, were also found to affect the financial outcomes. (Author abstract)
Getting efficient as a means to create change: How the Community Impact Framework by Heritage United Way creates efficiencies in local organizations
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2010-06-15) Nemon, Melissa L.; Rivera, Jolan; Hotchkiss, Charles; Freiberger, James J.
Social service organizations are critical players and partners in community dynamics. However, until recently their effect on the community was mostly assumed. In an effort to determine how social service organizations impact the community, United Ways have begun implementing an outcomes-measurement framework and using it to determine funding. Known as Community Impact, this methodology includes a logic model design that intends for partner agencies to clearly identify outcomes their programs intend to affect in the greater community. While this paradigm shift is affecting system wide community structures, what has not been clear to this point is the effect community impact – and more specifically, the outcomes measurement training – has had on local agencies and their organizational structure and behavior. This study examined the partner agencies of Heritage United Way. A survey was conducted to determine the highest adopters of Community Impact and then an organizational assessment was done on eight of the highest adopters, as well as two local municipal government departments that also adopted Community Impact – to determine if any efficiencies had been gained since adopting the paradigm. Results determined that small agencies tended to adopt Community Impact more readily than other agency typologies. Additionally, organizational assessment results demonstrate that large agencies regardless of affiliation perceived the highest rate of efficiency in sustainability while small agencies perceived efficiency in mission, vision, values; small nationally affiliated agencies perceived efficiency in structure; and small government departments perceived efficiency in partnerships. The organizational survey instrument adapted and implemented for this study could prove to be a useful tool for future analysis of organizations and the efficiencies experienced when adopting new frameworks. (Author Abstract)
How organizations promote a sense of community and empowerment leading towards community participation: A view of the middle
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2012-05) Fernando, Rukshan; Rivera, Jolan
Community Development Corporations (CDC) are organizations which develop affordable housing, jobs and small businesses in communities. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which staff and board of CDCs in Indianapolis, Indiana participated in the community because of a sense of community and empowerment within and outside a CDC. Much of the literature examined participation from the community member perspective. As such, the importance of this study was to understand the gap in the research literature surrounding community development professionals and their community participation. Little research has been conducted on the participation by organizational members in CDCs. Understanding the empowering processes within and outside a community organization might help to predict the participation of these organizational members. In addition to empowerment, the organizational sense of community that CDCs facilitated for their members can help predict participation of members. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between intra and extraorganizational empowering processes, sense of community and the citizen participation from the perspective of organizational members of CDCs. A survey of 78 CDC staff and board of the Indianapolis Coalition for Neighborhood Development was conducted. Scales measured the relationship between a member’s CDCs participation in the community and the perceptions of intraorganizational and extraorganizational empowering processes. A correlational analysis was conducted to assess the community organization sense of community, the processes of empowering organization and citizen participation. Analysis was conducted to understand the extent to which community organization sense of community and/or processes of empowering organization helped to predict the participation in the sample. Results suggested an association between the CDC’s sense of community and citizen participation. In addition, the results suggested an association between the extraorganizational empowering process, as measured by a number of social capital and community investment activities, and participation. Moreover, extraorganizational empowerment processes were able to predict the levels of board and staff participation. Findings suggested that processes outside the CDC contribute significantly to the participation of CDC board and staff members. Further exploration of policy, practice, education and research concerning the implications of the study is suggested. (Author abstract)
Differences in foreclosure rates of owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied residential multi-family properties during depressed housing market conditions (2007-2008)
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2010) Dhliwayo, Lovemore Liberty; Catano, Francis N.; Leeder, Elaine; Basolo, Victoria
This dissertation study examines whether owner-occupation (OO), in depressed housing markets, has significant impact on foreclosure rates of residential multi-family properties in Manchester and Nashua, New Hampshire. The study is an extension on Wardrip & Pelletiere's 2008 research that covered four New England states: New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In this study Wardrip & Pelletiere found that residential multi-family properties have significantly higher foreclosure rates compared to single-family properties. This researcher adds value to Wardrip & Pelletiere's study by arguing that owner-occupation is a significant factor in foreclosures of residential real estate in general, and especially, in foreclosures of residential multi-family properties, in general. To examine the problem of increasing and higher foreclosure rates amongst residential multi-family properties, the study uses quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative component covers the entire population of residential 2- to 4-unit multifamily properties in Manchester and Nashua over the 2-year period from 2007 to 2008. The study compares the foreclosure rates of owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied residential multi-family properties in the two cities. For hypothesis testing Independent Samples t Test was used to measure differences in the maintenance and upkeep of randomly selected owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied multi-family properties in Manchester. Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping was used to lay out and analyze the spatial distribution of all residential multi-family properties, and the location of foreclosures within that distribution, in Manchester. Detailed interviews were conducted with key informants representing major multi-family stakeholder institutions in New Hampshire to gather their perceptions on owner-occupied and non-owneroccupied multi-family homeownership. The study found that there are significant differences between the foreclosure rates of owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied multi-family properties in Manchester and Nashua, New Hampshire. To theoretically explain the differences in foreclosure rates of OO and NOO multi-family properties two theoretical frameworks were developed and applied, i.e., "Broken Windows" and "Meaning of Home". Broken Windows (BW) theory, attributed to two criminologists, James Wilson and George Kelling, says that if broken windows remain unrepaired, vandals will soon break the building's remaining windows and the windows of abutting properties and those of other properties in the neighborhood. This researcher uses "Broken Windows" as a metaphor for the hypothesized relative neglect in upkeep and maintenance of NOO multi-family properties. "Meaning of Home" theory is a construct developed from four concepts: "Home Use Value"; "Meaning of Home"; "Rental Value"; and "Investment Value" as applied to owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied multi-family homeownership, based on perceived and actual expectations, behaviors and the general psychology of multi-family homeowners. Homeowners are classified as owner-occupiers (OOs) and non-owner-occupiers (NOOs). The study argues that owner-occupiers are usually more financially and psychologically invested in the multi-family property and the neighborhood they live in. On the other hand, non-owner-occupying investors are hypothesized to be less socially and economically invested in the property and neighborhood, mainly because neither is their own home. The researcher argues that if rental income and investment value are not on a financially rewarding trajectory for the non-owner-occupying multi-family investor, there is no, or very little, incentive for him / her to continue holding on to the asset. The study found that, on average, owner-occupied multi-family properties are significantly better maintained, and have positive social and economic externalities for their neighborhoods, communities and local authorities. This is in keeping with the Meaning of Home theory as developed and advanced in this study. Non-owneroccupied multi-family properties were found to be significantly more in disrepair, to have significantly less curb appeal, and to have significantly greater risk of being foreclosed in depressed housing market conditions. Based on GIS mapping analyses of Manchester, New Hampshire, this study also found that owner-occupied and nonowner occupied multi-family buildings tend to cluster around each other or to be clustered in specific neighborhoods of the city. The study recommends that low-income to moderate-income multi-family homeownership policies be seriously considered in their varied formats, including but not limited to having exploratory and specific programs that support, promote and finance owner-occupation of residential multi-family properties. The study also raises a strong case for policy makers to promote policies that support mixed-income neighborhood development, and explore possibilities for the conversion of non-owneroccupied residential multi-family buildings to owner-occupied condominiums, housing co-operatives and land trusts. (Author abstract)
Microfinance as a tool for financial services reconstruction in post-conflict communities : a study of post-conflict microfinance in the Democratic Republic of Congo
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2011) Matabisi, Lukumu Nicodeme; Rielly, Catherine; Ashe, Jeffrey; Hotchkiss, Charles; Clamp, Christina
Since its inception in the 1970s, modern microfinance has emerged as a strategy to reduce vulnerability of the poor and promote microenterprise. This dissertation proposes that microfinance plays an additional role as a tool for reconstructing financial services in post-conflict communities. During major conflicts, the provision of financial services is usually disrupted; and financial institutions are often targets of lootings by militia or military of factions in conflicts; resulting in weak, insolvent, and non-operational financial services sectors when post-conflict reconstruction begins. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)'s financial services system was greatly disrupted by years of conflicts that ended in 2003. In the post-conflict DRC, the provision of financial services has shown some improvement, and an important share of this improvement can be attributed to microfinance. The central question becomes whether microfinance is an effective tool for post-conflict reconstruction of financial services. Using financial data from the DRC and surveys; this study, first, performed a trend analysis of outreach (employment, clientele, loans, savings/deposits) and financial performance (assets, profitability, efficiency, risk) of financial institutions using a microfinance approach; and second, compared the level of outreach and financial performance by financial institutions using a microfinance approach to those using a traditional financial approach; and third, compared the reconstruction level (business development, education, assets acquisition, and standard of living) of microfinance clients to the level of non-clients of financial institutions. This study found that, in post-conflict communities, microfinance - as a mode of financial services provision is active, agile, and is a better tool than traditional financial services in terms of outreach and some aspects of financial performance, at least in the early interim phases of reconstruction. When compared to non-clients, this study found that clients of microfinance institutions experienced greater business development, acquired more assets, saved more, and enjoyed a higher standard of living. All these reconstruction variables performed significant differences. The only non-significant difference between clients and non-clients was found in the area of education. Microfinance should therefore be considered as a tool for post-conflict reconstruction of financial services and be emphasized as an intervention in the early stages of reconstruction of financial services. (Author abstract)
The contributions of pre-incarceration experiences and prison-based programs to post-release employment acquisition, retention and recidivism
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2010) Foster, Michelle Mickle; Hotchkiss, Charles M.; Rivera, Jolan; Nolan, James
This dissertation examines the contributions of pre-incarceration experiences and prison-based programs to post-release employment success and recidivism. Parolees released from the West Virginia Division of Corrections between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009 were studied. The impact of education, life and vocational programs on the employment experiences and recidivism of a sample of these parolees were analyzed using Chi Square tests and logistic regression. The study found that men have a significantly higher probability than women of acquiring and retaining employment after release from prison. With regards to program completion, the study found that education program completion had no effect on employment acquisition, employment sustainability or near-term recidivism (dependent variables). The study further found that life program completion also had no effect on these dependent variables, neither did vocational program completion. Additionally, there was no difference in outcomes between Whites and African-Americans. (Author abstract)
Improving tenants' lives through affordable rental housing : quality-of-life impacts of five capitals by developer and location
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2010) Koenig, Richard; Camayd-Freixas, Yoel; Hotchkiss, Charles; Karush, Gerald
Affordable housing is asked to address a broad spectrum of physical and social needs and to achieve goals ranging from shelter to family improvement. The U.S. spends millions of dollars annually developing, financing, and operating affordable rental housing for low income households. However, there is no policy for what government-subsidized housing should accomplish for residents and little understanding of potential tenant outcomes. The lack of a comprehensive theory of affordable housing means that policies are made, funds spent, and units developed without goals anchored on sound theory. What then should be expected as the return on affordable housing investments, particularly given the discontinuity between its basic physical goal (decent shelter) and expanded social expectations (self-sufficiency)? Should only direct standard-of-living impacts (safety net outcomes like better and cheaper housing) be expected or should a deeper set of quality-of-life outcomes be expected? The study explores whether quality-of-life improves for tenants who move to affordable rental housing. It offers a framework for measuring quality-of-life changes based on five capitals: financial, physical, social, human, and personal. The study is grounded in theories of affordable housing: place-based, personal life, and professionals' experiences. To answer the research questions, a survey was conducted with tenants at four affordable developments in the Chicago suburbs, all privately-owned rental housing financed through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and H O M E programs. Two nonprofit and two for-profit developments were selected based on area desirability. A quality-of-life index was created comprised of the five capital indices which included subjective and objective questions. The study found that quality-of-life improved for tenants overall compared to their previous housing. However, not all comparison groups or capitals improved equally or as predicted. Physical, Social and Personal Capital increased while Human Capital had no change and Financial Capital actually decreased. The five capital indices were very effective at providing insight into why differences existed within and between groups.
The new Americans : factors affecting economic integration among African refugees in New Hampshire
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2006) Ugbe, Utiang P.; Swack, Michael; Clamp, Christina; Lejter, Nelly
Since 1983, 6000 refugees have resettled in New Hampshire from countries around the world, under the auspices of the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. About 1300 (22%) of these came from African countries, 95% of them since the year 2000. Secondary migration (from within America) has increased the number of African refugees in New Hampshire to an estimated 2500. Their presence in New Hampshire raises the need for their economic, social, cultural, and political integration; economic integration is of particular importance because it facilitates access to the social, cultural and political spheres of society. The study utilizes mixed methods data to address human capital, situational dispositional theoretic elements on the factors affecting labor market activities, as well as current and potential microentrepreneurial activities among the African refugees in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire state government and Lutheran Social Services supplied the secondary data for the study, complemented by primary data from a researcher-administered survey of 110 cases, phenomenological interviews with 44 African refugees, and triangulation of these with six community-based resource persons who work with African refugees. Key findings include varying degrees of a statistical association between human capital and situational indicators (such as gender, age, education, country of origin, and length of stay in the USA) and the participants’ wage income; a downward occupational mobility for refugees with educational or professional qualifications; systemic barriers to the transfer, recognition, retraining, credentialing and licensing of occupational skills that the refugees bring from their countries of origin; illiteracy and lack of English language proficiency; cultural disconnectedness and lack of familiarity with the American workplace etiquette; and creative uses of the welfare state by refugees as coping strategies in combination with wage income or informal microentrepreneurial activities. Due to combined effects of these factors, 24% of the study participants are unemployed, while those employed concentrate in unskilled, entry-level jobs in the manufacturing sector, which places them among the so-called working poor in America. The study discusses these findings relative to other immigrant groups, and recommends policies, programs and self-help interventions for promoting economic integration among the refugees. (Author abstract)
Minority-owned businesses, trade credit and discrimination : an empirical study of the impact of racial discrimination on access to trade credit for minority-owned vs. non-minority-owned firms
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2007) Reese, T. David; Swack, Michael; Karush, Gerald; Buchele, Robert
Access to credit in particular and capital in general is a major determinant of the rate of both the formation and survival of small businesses. During the last thirty years a growing body of theoretical and empirical research has developed that explores how a firm’s access to credit varies by the business owner’s race and/or ethnicity and test specific hypotheses about why these variations might occur. The overwhelming majority of empirical studies show that on average African-American and Hispanic borrowers receive credit in amounts and on terms less favorable than those obtained by non-minority borrowers. Much of this research asks, "does racial discrimination in part account for the observed disparities in credit outcomes for various racial and ethnic groups?" While numerous studies have tested for the existence of discrimination in commercial bank lending to firms, to date, this author has found only two empirical studies that explore how access to trade credit varies with the race and/or ethnicity of a firm’s owner. This study begins the process of addressing this gap in the literature. This study explores if and how the amount of trade credit obtained by small businesses varies by the owner’s race and/or ethnicity. Our findings clearly shows that firms owned by African-American men, Hispanic white men and Asian-Americans on average receive significantly lower levels of trade credit relative to those owned by non-Hispanic white men. After controlling for industry, the owner’s human capital, the creditworthiness of the firm and the firm’s owner, this study finds no statistically significant evidence that the race/ethnicity of a firm’s owner explains the observed disparity in the levels of trade credit provided to firms owned by Hispanic whites and African-Americans. For firms owned by Asian-Americans, this study does find statistically significant evidence that race explains in part the observed disparities after controlling for industry, the owner’s human capital, the creditworthiness of the firm and the firm’s owner. This finding is noteworthy because many scholars suggest that Asian-Americans do not experience difficulties in accessing credit comparable to those experienced by other minorities. (Author abstract)
Where do we go from here? Community participation and empowerment in the empowerment zone : Atlanta, 1994-2002
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2009) Jackson, Deborah A.; Hotchkiss, Charles; Karush, Gerald; Reilly, Catherine
The concepts of community participation and community empowerment have been the focus of several federal programs, such as the Empowerment Zone (EZ), that were designed to alleviate some of the causes of poverty found in urban areas. This research examines what impact those concepts had on conditions within targeted communities from the perspective of community representatives whose voice is not often heard. The study analyzes the impact the EZ program had on strengthening the community’s ability to take control of and/or influence decisions affecting its quality of life. The research proposes a conceptual framework of community participation as empowerment and demonstrates the need for a more holistic approach to comprehensive planning initiatives. The framework identifies the factors that are needed to make participation meaningful or effective – exercise of power; access to resources; and identification of results or benefits for the community. This dissertation uses a case study research design and qualitative data collection methods to examine four neighborhoods of the Atlanta Empowerment Zone (AEZ) that were also part of the Model Cities Program in the 1970’s. Although there was strong emphasis on the importance of community participation and community empowerment as key components of the strategy, no clear definition or guidance was provided as to how the participation requirement would be implemented. Likewise, it was unclear what was intended by empowerment. The research findings show the community representatives encountered significant barriers to their participation in the decision-making processes. Among these were the absolute control exercised by the mayor’s office thwarting community recommendations; and the lack of adequate resources to support independent actions by the community. The research identifies that the real issue is about power: Who has power? How can a more equitable distribution of power be attained? The overall findings also demonstrate that even where the factor of race is not an overt driving force, the institutionalization of the historic effects of racism, which is directly tied to the conditions of persistent poverty and the lack of power, must be addressed; or there will be no significant change in the conditions of communities affected by poverty. (Author abstract)
Mode of ownership and housing value appreciation of manufactured home parks : Rochester, New Hampshire
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2006) Rivera, Jolan; Aricanli, Tosun; Swack, Michael; Camayd-Freixas, Yoel
This dissertation examines the relationship between mode of housing ownership in manufactured home parks and housing-related economic asset accumulation. It asks if households within and near member owned manufactured home parks experience higher property value appreciation than their counterparts in investor-owned parks. The main component (Component One) of the study focuses on differences in housing value appreciation between member-owned and investor-owned parks. The exploratory component (Component Two) looks at how abutting properties are affected by proximity to member owned or investor-owned parks. Component One views housing value appreciation as affected by several independent and intervening variables: household rent payments, availability of financial products exclusively for member-owned parks, length of ownership, structural characteristics of units, park layout, and park location. Component Two studies value appreciation of abutting properties as a function of the type of home park ownership. Component One is examined using an archived proxy-pretest, multiple-treatment, quasi-experimental design, while Component Two relies on an archived proxy-pretest, two-treatment, expanded, quasiexperimental design. Analyses included secondary data, informant interviews, and direct observation. Analyses for Component One involved both descriptive and inferential statistics, while only descriptive statistics were used in Component Two. The study found that homes in member-owned parks in New Hampshire have better housing characteristics: they are newer, larger, have more rooms, are closer to commercial amenities and roads, and have better park layout. Member-owned park residents also pay lower monthly rents and have access to non-subprime housing loans. Homes in member-owned parks have higher values compared to those in investor-owned parks with comparable housing characteristics. However, these economic advantages do not translate to a higher value appreciation in member-owned parks. Manufactured homes appreciate in value over time, regardless of the type of park ownership. This finding is conditional to inflated housing market conditions. Whether this applies under "normal" market conditions is subject for future research. The study also found that value appreciation of abutting homes is not associated with manufactured home parks location. Living next to manufactured parks does not decrease the value of abutting homes; indeed, the value of manufactured homes appreciated at a higher rate than comparable county and state rates. (Author abstract)
Brownfields redevelopment : voices from the community economic development movement
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2006) Omwenga, Marucha; Clamp, Christina; Swack, Michael; Barresi, Paul
This was research was undertaken to understand the framing of brownfields redevelopment issues from the point of view of community economic development (CED) practitioners. The research specifically interviewed staff of community development corporations (CDCs), which form part of the larger CED movement. The investigation sought to reveal why CDC staff consider brownfields as being problematic and to what or to whom they attribute the problem (diagnostic framing), the solutions they offer to the problems (prognostic), and the justification they give for calling to action the redevelopment of brownfields (motivational framing). Essentially the research sought to understand the collective action frame that community development corporations (CDCs) do or do not articulate with respect to the redevelopment of brownfields, by analyzing views expressed by various CDC staff that participated in the interviews. Understanding CED practitioners' perceptions is fundamental to the practice of CED and to the process of influencing policies that will support the CED practice. CED is an important link of social and economic development and one of the ways the practices can begin to effect change in society is through making its values explicit. This research contributes towards this goal. The major findings of the research are that CDCs as organizations are motivated to redeveloping brownfields so as to achieve the following goals: affordable housing; neighborhood revitalization; to mitigate against safety, crime and drug issues; and to address health concerns. But there was little consistency in patterns to suggest that CED practitioners were actively engaged in recruiting adherents, constituents, bystander publics, or antagonists to get involved in the redevelopment of brownfields. (Author abstract)
The social change role of community-based development corporations : a quiet transformation of private lives and local institutions
(Southern New Hampshire University, 2006) Dorius, Noah Eric; Aricanli, Tosun
This dissertation examines the critique that contemporary CDCs have abandoned their 1960s commitment to empower poor communities. By asking CDC directors how their organizations accomplish social change, this research seeks a more nuanced description of the transformative intent of their work. These practitioner perspectives are then placed in the context of Post WWII new social movement theory in order to discover the conceptual basis for an alternative explanation for the social change role being played by today's CDCs. This study finds that a majority of today's CDC practitioners expect to achieve social change by implementing local projects and programs. CDC directors provide rich qualitative descriptions of how they transform the private lives of individuals and influence the social commitments of local institutions. These qualitative themes yield a normative theory of how CDCs practice social change that is substantially different from the public policy remedies their critics expect them to pursue. Rather than abandoning their commitment to empower the poor, this investigation finds that CDC practitioners share a common motivation to help oppressed populations achieve social outcomes not available in a market economy. When the social change explanations of CDC practitioners are compared to empirical evidence of the continuing activism of former 1960s student protestors and new social movement theories, this study finds that the 'localized' empowerment objectives of CDCs substantively correspond with contemporary concepts of social change activity like civic learning and a re-emerging associationalism. This research concludes that the conceptualization of social change underlying the perceptions of CDC directors has a different ideological footing than that embraced by its critics. Instead of top-down government solutions, CDC's employ bottom-up self governance strategies. This difference in ideology means that instead of marginalizing the local empowerment strategies and cooperative partnerships formed by today's CDCs, these practices should become a central focus of empirical research and theoretical analysis. This alternative explanation means that university curriculums should recognize the relevance of new social movement theory and that government and philanthropic funders should focus on current CDC practice in order to measure the success of their investments in poor communities. (Author abstract)

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