The field of Affordable Housing and Community Economic Development in the United States has evolved substantially since its inception in 1950s and 1960s. Starting as a social movement to revitalize low income communities, the field has become a solid and complex industry of stakeholders, practitioners, funding intermediaries and supporting professionals --- architects, bankers, financial experts, lawyers, social workers, urban planners and a host of other "community development professionals." Building Healthy Communities: A Guide to Community Economic Development for Advocates, Lawyers and Policymakers documents the themes and trends of the contemporary CED movement and provides guidance for strengthening our communities and ensuring that they and their residents prosper and compete in today's global economy.

This book covers, but is not limited to:
CED in the global economy
The role of nonprofits in CED
Government CED tools
Community responsive trends
Core components of healthy communities
The importance of individual and community assets
Environmental considerations