Shelterforce magazine is inviting submissions for articles to be published
in 2007. The themes described below focus on the changing world of community
development by looking at the physical, social and political activities of the
movement, the changing contexts within which community development practitioners
and advocates work, and the evolving nature of the work itself.
If you're interested in writing for us on these themes, please submit a brief
query to articles@nhi.org. You'll find
more information about writing for Shelterforce at the end of this note.
Fall Issue: Community Development at a Crossroads (Proposals due June 15)
The roots of the modern community development movement are - relatively speaking
- clear. They come from such places as Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty and Robert
F. Kennedy's vision of economic self-empowerment leading to community revitalization.
For many years, the form of this movement was embodied in the community development
corporation, while its functions ranged from community organizing and political
engagement to housing development and job creation. Today, form and function
in community development are more fluid and the roles of CDCs are much different
than they were in the movement's early days.
We invite articles that examine what community development is today and the
roles of CDCs within this changing field. We want articles that consider how
community development is defined in specific market or social contexts and explore
who the key actors are, and what their relationships and roles are or could
be or should be.
We are also interested in explorations of the type of geographic area best suited
to contemporary community development approaches. Is it a neighborhood? A city?
A region? What relationships must community change agents understand to be effective
locally and regionally? How do community development actors actually work in
a regional context, and how should they work in order to be more effective?
Finally, as younger leaders emerge in both the broader community development
field and in community development corporations, we would like to know what
their backgrounds and perspectives are and how they are changing this work.
Winter Issue: Eminent Domain and Community Development (Proposals due September
15)
While the use of eminent domain for redevelopment has been ongoing for many
decades, attention was focused dramatically on this issue with the 2005 decision
by the United States Supreme Court in Kelo v. City of New London. Using the
specter of widespread eminent domain abuse, opponents have pushed for action
at the state level to bar its use for economic development or redevelopment,
where it involves private developers and results in benefits to private parties.
There is no question that the power of eminent domain has been abused, and
that corrections are needed. But there are also many cases where redevelopment
and eminent domain have been used for positive purposes such as forcing out
abusive owners of distressed housing complexes, assembling land for affordable
housing, restoring a block through rehab of abandoned properties and infill
and bringing a supermarket into a distressed neighborhood.
We invite stories about how redevelopment using eminent domain should be done.
How can the interests of residents and small business owners be protected without
unduly restricting local governments, nonprofits and CDCs in their efforts to
build healthy neighborhoods, develop affordable housing and create jobs? How
can community development practitioners and advocates turn the debate on eminent
domain and redevelopment toward more productive, balanced solutions? We are
particularly interested in articles that identify best practices, model legislation
and creative compensation approaches.
Launched in 1975, Shelterforce examines affordable housing and community development in low-income communities. While much of our focus is on housing, Shelterforce also covers issues beyond bricks and mortar, including economic development, education, safety, transportation, arts, health and the environment. We also focus on community organizing, collaborative activities and political engagement.
Shelterforce covers events, individuals and organizations. We are always interested in how groups are organizing their communities, how they are dealing with local and regional issues, how they are engaging power structures and the lessons that can be drawn from their successes or failures. In this age of diminishing resources we especially want to know how groups working towards equitable and sustainable development are meeting the challenges facing them; what new strategies are being developed and new alliances formed.
Always, we want our articles to be useful and practical, and full of specific
examples. We avoid theory and opinion that is not grounded in specifics.
To write for Shelterforce, please send your query to: . Your note should include a brief outline of the proposed article and make clear why it is appropriate for Shelterforce. Feature articles range from 2,200 to 2,500. Longer or shorter articles may be considered. Book and other media reviews, and shorter articles for our Fundraising and Organize! columns will also be considered.
Since 1995, all articles published in Shelterforce are also published
on our Web site. Our goal is the wide dissemination of ideas and so we make
Shelterforce articles freely available for all noncommercial usage, such
as in classrooms and other venues that advance the goals of community development.
After first publication in Shelterforce authors are free to use their
work in any way, and Shelterforce retains the right to republish the article
in any form.