Equitable development connects the quest for full racial inclusion and participation to local, metropolitan, and regional planning and development. It is grounded in four guiding principles: the integration of people and place strategies; reduction of local and regional disparities; promotion of "double bottom line" investments; and inclusion of meaningful community voice, participation, and leadership.
Equitable development ensures that individuals and families in all communities can participate in and benefit from economic growth and activity. Because public policies and investments shape regional development patterns, PolicyLink works to develop policies that encourage equitable development that fully includes low-income communities and communities of color.
Much of our work concerns three areas: the fair distribution of affordable housing, equitable public investment, and community strategies to reduce health disparities.
The PolicyLink Equitable Development Toolkit helps community builders create and sustain diverse, mixed-income/mixed-wealth neighborhoods.