Purpose: Lead is a well-established environmental contaminant that over the last 50 years has become recognized as a neurotoxin with its greatest concern for the developing child (i.e. both in-utero and postnatally). What is problematic is that children exposed to lead often come from lower socioeconomic status (SES), are largely Black communities…

Large scale efforts in New York City since 1959 to prevent deterioration of urban communities through conservation of marginal neighborhoods have generally shown substantial success. (LY)

This article describes how three neighborhoods in the city of New York, through vigorous citizen leadership and active volunteers, converted decayed and abandoned slum areas into attractive recreational centers. (JD)

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…

THIS REPORT OUTLINED THE EXPERIENCES OF EIGHT UNIVERSITIES--CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, OKLAHOMA, PURDUE, RUTGERS, AND WISCONSIN--AND A NONACADEMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, ACTION-HOUSING, PITTSBURGH, WHICH HAD RECEIVED FORD FOUNDATION GRANTS FOR URBAN EXTENSION PROGRAMS. EACH ORGANIZATION USED THE APPROACH…

This exit report chronicles the last 20 months of the 3-year demonstration phase of the New York City Volunteer Corps (CVC), whose members worked in teams at various sites to either provide human services or do physical work. These final months were characterized by the following factors: (1) a change in Corps leadership; (2) concern about…

The lives of poor minority city residents demonstrate the diversity, multiple potentials, and vulnerability to external structures. In spite of the stereotypes of failure and the very real problems of the urban poor, there are many strengths among the so-called urban underclass and there are aspects of life that are successful and productive. In…

The urban neighborhood, long of interest to city planners and sociologists, has in recent years become of increasing concern to public policy-makers. This new concern has called attention to a large gap in the municipal policy-maker's information resources. Social scientists have employed a field method, participant-observation, that can…

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…

The Mutual Aid Project (MAP) has developed a community organizing and planning approach which has focused its attention on the continuing role of older people within their neighborhoods. This approach has sought to strengthen not only the day-to-day arrangements for mutual aid and support, but also those actions which will assist groups in…

Some of the issues involved in promoting home ownership among blacks and investment in inner city communities are discussed in this paper. The experiences of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation in revitalizing Bedford Stuyvesant are described. Economic barriers to prospective home ownership are identified and strategies and programs…

DECIDING THAT THE PROBLEMS OF THE RACIAL GHETTO ARE AT THE CORE OF THE CURRENT URBAN AMERICAN CRISIS, THIS CONFERENCE EXAMINED AND EVALUATED CURRENT ACTION PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE INTEGRATED HOUSING AND EXPLORED NEW WAYS TO SPEED MINORITY GROUPS OUT OF GHETTOS INTO ALL URBAN AND SUBURBAN AREAS. THE CONFEREES CITED SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE…

The Experience Corps Program, which was initiated in 1996 in New York's South Bronx, connects retirees with children in elementary schools. The Experience Corps' volunteers, who are mostly lifelong residents of the South Bronx, work a minimum of 15 hours each week throughout the school year as mentors, tutors, and special assistants. Since 1997,…