Neighborhood Approaches to Urban Capacity Building

Abstract

The authors argue that the solution of urban problems requires resources and powers far beyond those available to most local governments. Only through partnerships of all relevant actors—public officials, businessmen and neighborhood residents—can such issues be dealt with.

Yet, partnerships are neither simple nor inevitable. They require hard work and usually the development of the capacities of all involved. Such capacity building for partnerships is on three levels: the development of the individual capacity to play partnership roles; the creation of interactive partnerships operating as local problem solvers; and the fostering of inter-partnership networks.

Neighborhoods are seen as the building blocks of cities, serving as a locality of scale upon which the citizen can base his concerns and actions and within which partnerships can operate effectively. Specific recommendations are made, utilizing this policy context to build capacity for partnerships at the neighborhood level, particularly with regard to the Intergovernmental Personnel Act.

Notes

1 Rochelle Warren and Donald Warren. The Neighborhood Organizer’s Handbook (Notre Dame. Indiana: 1977).

2 Arthur J. Naparstek, “Policy Options for Neighborhood Empowerment” (Columbus. Ohio: Academy for Contemporary Problems); Morgan J. Doughton. People Power (Bethlehem: Media America); Peter Berger and John Neuhaus, On Empowering People (Washington. D.C.: American Enterprise Institute).

3 Arthur Naparstek, “Policy Options for Neighborhood Empowerment.” pp. 85–86.

4 Andrew Mott, cited in National Commission on Neighborhoods, People Building Neighborhoods (Washington. D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1979). p. 355.

5 See Berger and Neuhaus. On Empowering People, and Arthur.). Naparstek and David Biegel, Neighborhood Support Systems: People Helping Themselves (Washington. D.C.: University of Southern California).

6 National Commission on Neighborhood. People Building Neighborhood, p. 305.