Creating inclusive and equitable growth is a complex, long-term effort, and there is no such thing as a singular, successful “cut-and-paste” model. In a whitepaper, Next Street explored 4 models that can be adapted by cities across America.

Four Cities. Four Approaches.

Next Street has worked with dozens of local businesses, community-based organizations, government agencies, and anchor institutions to develop innovative approaches to place-based community economic development. We wrote a whitepaper, Innovative Approaches to Equitable Development in American Cities, with the goal of lifting up some of the best practices we have seen in the field, with guidance for local leaders (and leaders-to-be) driving or launching initiatives that aim to cultivate economic development for the benefit of existing residents.

We framed several emerging and promising approaches and offer considerations for the adoption of those models in other communities. In particular, we reviewed different approaches to community economic development in four cities: Twin Cities, Boston, Los Angeles, and Columbus, examining how new efforts were put into practice in each community.