The Demise of “Advocacy Planning” in Community Design? A Content Analysis of the Mission Statements of Community Design Centers (CDCs) in the United States

Abstract

This paper investigates the role(s) of contemporary community design centers (CDC) in the United States. Based on a content analysis of CDCs’ mission statements and semi-structured interviews with selected CDC leaders, I identify seven roles these organizations perform. The results indicate that current CDCs do not exclusively focus on assisting underserved communities. They perform a more diverse set of roles for various socioeconomic communities. These different roles suggest that CDCs can, and should, be thought of as a diverse category of planning organization. In conclusion, I suggest three implications for planning education and future research and practice related to community design.