The Last Line of Defense

Every imaginable critique has been leveled against community development corporations (CDCs). They resist resident control. They are driven by funders rather than by community interests. They disrupt communities rather than build them. But what happens when the CDC finds itself in the position of being the last bulwark against the destruction of community and the elimination of community-controlled housing?

Cedar-Riverside’s strategy resisted commodification by placing housing in the hands of the community rather than the market. But that didn’t mean the housing was immune to such pressures. It still had to be maintained and managed, and the collective mortgages still had to be paid. And the residents had to be willing to see the housing as a community good – contributing either labor or increased rent to maintain it.