In this paper it is argued that participation and public art contribute to sustainable community development. This is a study of four Community Projects in Havana made during a two month stay during summer 2009. The study is based on a number of interviews with people involved in the community projects. By using the Cuban culture and participation as a platform for sustainable community development the Community Projects have created a sense of belongingness and identification in each neighbourhood. This in turn has the ability to join the people together in participatory development work. The Community Projects also function as free space since they are one of the few places where Cubans are allowed to make their own initiatives. This has opened up a discussion between the citizens and the authorities which is important for future urban development. The Community Projects also work with public art in a participatory way that has contributed to place identity and public dialogue in Havana.

Despite of significant role of collective decision making in strategic community development towards sustainability, this area is seen to be generally underestimated by community planners and ecovillage members, comparing with, for example, legal, financial and technological aspects of community life. This study aims to understand how Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD) perspective can contribute to decision making procedures in ecovillages in Sweden. The research examines how decision making procedures work in ecovillages today and to which extent strategic component, viewed through SSD perspective, is currently incorporated. Secondly research explores how SSD perspective could possibly be incorporated into decision making procedures in ecovillages, in order to foster their development towards sustainability. To address this purpose decision making model was created, based on literature review; three ecovillage studies were conducted; and recommendations were offered, based on findings from literature and findings from current experience of selected ecovillages in Sweden.

Due to the current high levels of urbanisation and the lingering effects of Apartheid, South African municipalities have experienced difficulties in planning for sustainability and more specifically sustainable community development. Sustainable community development is needed in order to achieve more integrated and sustainable towns and cities with an improved urban environment and a higher quality of life. Due to this sustainable community development is of particular relevance to South Africa. Although policies and legislation exist at international, national and local level, there is a lack of suitable planning instruments to guide sustainable community development. Tlokwe Local Municipality is researched as study area to test and develop planning instruments for sustainable community development. An assessment matrix of sustainability indicators is linked to Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and applied to identify the themes and sub-themes applicable to sustainability in which intervention is required to improve the sustainability rating of the municipality. A Goal Assessment Matrix (GAM) approach is used to score and prioritise municipal projects, plans and strategies according to sustainable community development fundamentals. The top scoring projects are indicative of the achievement of sustainable community development goals and objectives. The result of the sustainability assessment is that the Tlokwe Local Municipality is considered to be relatively sustainable, performing overall better than the three spheres of government against which it was measured. Subsequent to the GAM assessment a lack of alignment between the sectoral plans was identified as well as the duplication of projects. The projects, plans and strategies of the municipality are found to not have been formulated with sustainable community development framework as a guiding goal. It is recommended that municipalities use the assessment matrix methods to determine its level of sustainability when developing respective sectoral plans (SDFs, ITPs, EMFs and IDPs). Areas in which there is a lack of sustainability are highlighted and can consequently be addressed through intervention strategies. Prioritising municipal projects, plans and strategies through the use of GAM identifies crucial projects that need special attention to ensure their successful implementation as this will largely aid sustainable community development. Both the assessment matrix method and the GAM approach are valuable planning instruments with which to achieve sustainable community development. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Due to the current high levels of urbanisation and the lingering effects of Apartheid, South African municipalities have experienced difficulties in planning for sustainability and more specifically sustainable community development. Sustainable community development is needed in order to achieve more integrated and sustainable towns and cities with an improved urban environment and a higher quality of life. Due to this sustainable community development is of particular relevance to South Africa. Although policies and legislation exist at international, national and local level, there is a lack of suitable planning instruments to guide sustainable community development. Tlokwe Local Municipality is researched as study area to test and develop planning instruments for sustainable community development. An assessment matrix of sustainability indicators is linked to Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and applied to identify the themes and sub-themes applicable to sustainability in which intervention is required to improve the sustainability rating of the municipality. A Goal Assessment Matrix (GAM) approach is used to score and prioritise municipal projects, plans and strategies according to sustainable community development fundamentals. The top scoring projects are indicative of the achievement of sustainable community development goals and objectives. The result of the sustainability assessment is that the Tlokwe Local Municipality is considered to be relatively sustainable, performing overall better than the three spheres of government against which it was measured. Subsequent to the GAM assessment a lack of alignment between the sectoral plans was identified as well as the duplication of projects. The projects, plans and strategies of the municipality are found to not have been formulated with sustainable community development framework as a guiding goal. It is recommended that municipalities use the assessment matrix methods to determine its level of sustainability when developing respective sectoral plans (SDFs, ITPs, EMFs and IDPs). Areas in which there is a lack of sustainability are highlighted and can consequently be addressed through intervention strategies. Prioritising municipal projects, plans and strategies through the use of GAM identifies crucial projects that need special attention to ensure their successful implementation as this will largely aid sustainable community development. Both the assessment matrix method and the GAM approach are valuable planning instruments with which to achieve sustainable community development. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Abstract Sustainable community development is a current approach to development that has evolved from previous approaches. In Malaysia, the community-based homestay programme, which is a collective project undertaken by community members, is promoted to rural villages by the Malaysian government as a development strategy. In fact, the homestay programme has the potential to generate additional income for the villagers and provide an avenue for them to participate in tourism development. It also offers cultural exchange between the hosts and the guests, and incorporates the surrounding environment, including farms and the rural landscape, as the main attractions. Nevertheless, research on the Malaysian homestay programme as a development strategy is scarce and predominantly focuses on villages with programmes that are performing well in terms of generating tourist revenue. Although it may be economically viable, economic criterion alone does not guarantee that the programme and the community will be sustainable in the future, justifying the sustainable community development focus of this thesis. Sustainable community development is based on the principle that the community is able to utilise its resources while ensuring future generations have enough resources, reflecting the concepts of equity, a development by the people and for the people, and self-sufficiency. Consequently, three important issues are addressed in this thesis; 1) the distribution of costs and benefits among local people, 2) the nature of local participation, and 3) the self-reliance of the community. In framing the issues, the thesis is underpinned by several theories relating to earlier development theories, sustainable tourism development, sustainable community development, and pro-poor tourism. Unlike previous research which concentrated primarily on the host group with only minor representation from other village members, this thesis seeks to assess all groups in the village; the host, non-host and non-participant. A total of 90 interviews were undertaken in three different categories of homestay villages, in addition to another 10 interviews with representatives from the government and the Malaysian Homestay Association. Semi-structured interviews provided primary data for this study while secondary data was sourced from document analysis. Consequently, the multiple data collection method, including field notes, and various types of data heighten the credibility of this research through triangulation. To provide a framework for the discussion, the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (DFID, 1999) was applied to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each homestay village. Overall, the results of this research reveal that the homestay programme is not able to contribute to sustainable community development when it is not accepted by all members of the community. Based on the results, this thesis proposes a framework towards an improvement in the organisation, the management and the community of homestay through an assessment and monitoring system. By implementing the concepts in the proposed Sustainable Livelihoods Framework for Homestay Programme (SLF-HP), it is hoped that such programmes will increase, sustain and expand the benefits to a larger number of community members.

This study examines Sustainable Community Development (SCD) in the context of the Baltic Sea Region. The research focuses on understanding a model for SCD piloted in Robertsfors, Sweden. The model is said to be transferable to any community around the world. This study seeks to understand the concepts and tools used in the Robertsfors Model. It also examines whether the model is strategic with regards to sustainability and whether it is successful in engaging the local community around these issues. Considerations for transferability are also addressed, focusing specifically on the Eastern Baltic Sea Region. Opportunities for improving the model are also studied. A combination of secondary research, in the form of literature review and primary research (structured interviews and questionnaires) was used to explore these questions. Propositions about SCD and questions for further research emerged from this study.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / This exploratory study is based on the case of the Rusitu Valley, a low income rural community in Zimbabwe. Data was collected using largely qualitative methods and quantitative methods were used to obtain supportive descriptive statistics. Information elicited from focus group discussions conducted with members of the Rusitu Valley community as well as responses obtained from a brief structured questionnaire were used to abstract the Rusitu Valley as a complex adaptive system. Input from in-depth interviews with government representatives in energy policy, local government and non-governmental organisations as well as a review of secondary sources was used to support the analysis and confirm the contextual validity of the study. This study revealed that there is intimate connection between renewable energy technologies and sustainable community development. A key finding was that the contribution of renewable energy technologies in Rusitu Valley is mostly towards the economic dimensions of the community and is relatively limited with regard to social and environmental dimensions. Therefore, this study concluded that renewable energy technologies have not sufficiently contributed towards sustainable community development in the Rusitu Valley. This study also found that the contribution of renewable energy technologies is constrained not only by internal limitations but also external factors. A conclusion drawn from this study was that effective contribution of renewable energy technologies towards social, economic and environmental facets can be enhanced through mainstreaming of renewable energy in policy and planning, as well strengthening institutions and local capacity which would have the overall effect of sustainable community development in low income communities

Despite the overwhelming role food plays in our everyday lives, the both new and old phenomenon of incorporating food systems into master planned communities has largely been overlooked. The in-progress community of Serenbe located just outside of Atlanta, Georgia is breaking this trend. The mixed use 1,000 acre community has already included many food and agriculture elements such as an organic farm, farmers’ market, grocery store, farm-to-table restaurants and edible landscaping - making it an exemplar case of an emerging planning strategy called Agricultural Urbanism. While many are heralding Serenbe for its strides as a community that incorporates agriculture into its design, the problem is that the full impact of this project remains unknown. In utilizing the case study method for landscape architecture developed by Francis (2001), this thesis examines the process, current state and projected outcomes of including Agricultural Urbanism into the Serenbe Community.

This study is an ethnographic, single case study that examined Blueberry Hill Cohousing (BBHC), an American cohousing community, and both the processes the community uses to foster social capital among residents, and the challenges that have arisen over time within the community. Cohousing, a little-known residential planning model in the United States, centers on creating neighborhoods with abundant social capital. Research shows social capital can be an effective means to provide many benefits to individuals as they manage their daily lives. These benefits can include expanded access to economic opportunities, a lack of loneliness, and emotional support. I undertook this study in response to the significant planning discourses, which link social capital to healthy communities. In this study, I employed open-ended interviews, observations, and reflective memo-writing. I analyzed data through repeated data coding. Key findings showed activities were more critical than site design in fostering social capital. Living at BBHC did not lessen residents' daily life tasks, given residents' expected participation. Also, social capital is unevenly distributed amongst residents. Factors that influenced an individual's store of social capital included participation in activities and the ability to navigate community norms and processes. Many existing residents expressed satisfaction with the benefits they received, such as sharing child or elder care, socializing, and general social support. Others cautioned that the lack of socioeconomic and racial diversity may isolate some residents. The study offers several suggestions to facilitate creating supportive communities. These include clearly defining consensus and articulating decision-making processes; incorporating homebuyers' input early in the project development phase; rethinking common area designs; and methods to foster activities that encourage resident interaction. Future research could explore interpersonal relationships in cohousing, linkages between social capital and consensus decision-making, and comparisons between American and European cohousing communities. / Doctor of Philosophy / This study is an ethnographic, single case study that examined Blueberry Hill Cohousing (BBHC), an American cohousing community, and both the processes the community uses to foster social capital among residents, and the challenges that have arisen over time within the community. Cohousing, a little-known residential planning model in the United States, centers on creating neighborhoods with abundant social capital. Research shows social capital can be an effective means to provide many benefits to individuals as they manage their daily lives. These benefits can include expanded access to economic opportunities, a lack of loneliness, and emotional support. I undertook this study in response to the significant planning discourses, which link social capital to healthy communities. I employed open-ended interviews and observations and analyzed data through repeated data coding. Key findings showed activities were more critical than site design in fostering social capital. Living at BBHC did not lessen residents' daily life tasks, given residents' expected participation. Many existing residents expressed satisfaction with the benefits they received, such as sharing child or elder care, socializing, and general social support. Others cautioned that the lack of socioeconomic and racial diversity may isolate some residents. The study offers several suggestions to facilitate creating supportive communities. These include clearly defining decision-making processes; incorporating homebuyers' input early in the project development phase; rethinking common area designs; and methods to foster activities that encourage resident interaction. Future research could explore interpersonal relationships in cohousing, linkages between social capital and consensus decision-making, and comparisons between American and European cohousing communities.

The purpose of this dissertation research is to examine how local context in four natural resource dependent Appalachian settings shape the formal Basic Engagement Plan (BEP). In 2002, the federal Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) formed a partnership with AmeriCorps VISTA and local environmental improvement organizations to restore Appalachian locales suffering from pre-regulatory environmental damage. To stimulate diverse local institutional engagement, the partnership developed the BEP. It is a formal process of institutional interaction to initiate working relationships where none exist between participating organizations and public administrators, legislators, and nonprofit organizations. To explore the research question, I use a multiple-case study design and comparative analysis. Because the partners work to restore local environments through sustainable community development, the research is grounded in sustainable community development literature. I continue the trend that juxtaposes its considerations of environmental protection, economic development, and social justice with the interactional perspective of community, a sociological model of community grounded in social interaction. Sustainable community development literature is dominated by an authoritative intervention paradigm. The juxtaposed model at the heart of this research does not deny the important contributions of authoritative intervention. Rather, it complements this conventional arrangement by discussing the important role of horizontal institutions in the process. Key findings show local contexts are multi-faceted and dynamic. In this regard, the variation in impact of local contexts on the formal BEP process shows that a one-size-fits-all approach is problematic for sustainable community development in natural resource dependent settings. The dissertation concludes with a set of comparative findings across the four cases and discussion of four important ways in which the research contributes to theory and practice. / PHD / This dissertation research provides a comparative case study of a hybrid, theory-based model of community development in rural settings. The model marries an interactive perspective of community and a type of community development that emphasizes sustainable practices. These practices seek to balance environmental protection, economic development, and social justice in the community development process. Its union is an excellent fit to organize the complexities of stakeholder relationships witnessed in selected natural resource dependent settings. In this regard, the research advances understanding of the model as a tool to organize multi-faceted working relationships. Secondly, the research advances the notion that inclusion of diverse stakeholders is important to restoring environmental damage and alleviating economic insecurities. It examines how diverse stakeholders break down communication barriers in natural resource dependent communities to find common goals to encourage sustained working relationships. The unpleasant implications of natural resource dependence create a setting where government is often the vital stakeholder to community development. In these settings, common goals and shared understanding of a public issue occur as government priorities allow. As priorities change so do the abilities of other key stakeholders to participate in the community development process. This research compliments understanding of the conventional government arrangement by highlighting the perspective of diverse stakeholders. Local practitioners can lessen the impact of changing government priorities by advancing their own organizational abilities to participate in community development. The dissertation concludes with a set of comparative findings across selected cases and discussion of important ways local practitioners can sustain the social change they seek to make in their communities.