Community development refers to a wide variety of practices that enable communities to rebuild their housing, local economies, and social fabric. It can be conducted in poor rural communities to improve agricultural practices and poor urban communities to rebuild deteriorated housing. It can also occur in small towns around downtown revitalization. Community development can even provide residents with access to computer technology and is frequently used in crime-ridden communities to reestablish social relationships.

Community development is sometimes confused with economic development. Economic development, though, is not necessarily community based and may be controlled by large corporations or governments. A government- or corporation-imposed development plan is not considered community development. Both the United Nations 50 years ago and the Community Development Society today specify that involvement of ...