Community development corporations as neighborhood advocates: a study of the political activism of nonprofit developers

Abstract

A number of arguments exist that suggest that community development corporations (CDCs) represent an apolitical, technocratic, and non-democratic arm of the neighborhood movement. This paper evaluates that,argument by examining national level studies, and using Minneapolis and St. Paul as case studies. The findings reveal that CDCs retain a high level of political activism primarily through the creation of new institutions, citywide coalition bodies, to carry out their political agenda. The findings also suggest that government influence over CDCs is greater in the area of program strategies than political activity.