This article discusses the notion of action and personal agency. The author discusses his experiences constructing an arts installation that supported a grassroots effort to revitalize Hunts Point, a community in the South Bronx that is home to 11,000 families, eighteen waste transfer stations, 40% of New York City's sewage, all of the Bronx's…

As more colleges and universities commit to a public mission, it is critical that our work as anchor institutions have a sustainable and positive impact, and that we collaborate fully with the diverse voices and expertise beyond our campuses--the most valuable assets of our multicultural cities. Taking Syracuse, New York, as a microcosm, the…

This article revisits the debate about school reform and homeownership-based strategies for neighborhood revitalization. It is based on an analysis of school districts in New York State using data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Findings indicate that the relationship between schools…

Where you find distressed neighborhoods, you will also find poorly performing public schools. Yet many contemporary school reform efforts ignore neighborhood-level factors that undeniably impact school performance. The purpose of this study is to use a case study approach with social institutional and urban school reform regime frameworks to…

SEVERAL CURRENT OR RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECTS AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS CONDUCTED BY SETTLEMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, WHICH SERVICE FAMILIES, ARE REVIEWED. INCLUDED ARE THREE PAPERS, FOUR DETAILED ACCOUNTS OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, AND BRIEF REPORTS OF PROJECTS. THE MAJOR PAPERS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING--"THE MULTI-PROBLEM FAMILY--A CHALLENGE…

Describes a special Head Start initiative called Free to Grow: Head Start Partnerships to Promote Substance-Free Communities. Notes five such Head Start programs in Puerto Rico, Kentucky, California, Colorado, and New York that have designed substance abuse prevention models to strengthen families and neighborhoods by providing a healthy…

This article describes the origins, evolution, and development of a comprehensive civic engagement program designed to encourage Ivy League students to pursue public service careers with nonprofits and municipal government organizations serving New York City's poorest children, families, and neighborhoods. The article offers a detailed description…

ORIGINALLY CONCERNED WITH THE EARLY DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN A DEPRESSED NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM CHANGED ITS FOCUS IN 1961 TO STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO DEAL WITH ITS OWN PROBLEMS. DURING THE FIRST YEAR, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT WAS IMPEDED BY STAFF TURNOVER AND RESISTANCE TO THE…