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Community assessment answers the basic questions:  Who is the community?  Where do they live and work?  Who will most directly be impacted by the revitalization project?  What are the unique attributes of the community? What is the community’s vision for revitalization? 

A community assessment is a study that requires data and can: 

A community assessment is fundamental to the understanding of the community’s needs, problems, distressed populations, and how the proposed revitalization will ultimately affect the community.  A site to be revitalized is nearly always a part of a much bigger picture.  Community-specific information is critical to the overall success of a revitalization plan.  Creating a community assessment study is a process that requires knowledge of the community’s social and economic history, culture and collective character, current composition, community assets, and the physical, biological and functional attributes of the natural ecosystem(s) in which its members interact (EPA 1998).  As such, it is a tool that can be used to gather important local data, e.g., key issues, needs, concerns.  Another important aspect of a community assessment is that it starts a dialogue with the community as a whole, as well as, community members who envision a future potential for a given community.  If a revitalization project is large and of regional importance, then the community closest to the project should be considered as having more of a stake and interest in it than others located farther away.  For a smaller revitalization project, the community directly affected by the project should be considered and a full community assessment may not be needed.  A community assessment helps in understanding a community’s priorities and vision, and a successful revitalization project will have responded to these priorities and visions.

The information contained in a community assessment is organized in the following categories:

The History of the Community:

Where are the historical files kept for the public’s use and what is the history of the community?  Have any overviews or evaluations been conducted in the past?  When was the site or area operating with economic vitality and when did economic decline begin?  What industries were previously present, and why are they no longer present?  What are the statistics on the current jobs in the community, current family status, income, zoning, public transportation, educational backgrounds, and information on the government officials? What type of news seems to reflect a certain theme or cultural attributes of the community (i.e., local holidays and celebrations; well known residents; resident/community meetings; and any event that involves a high level of local resident involvement)?  Are there environmental justice issues, meaning that no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group should bear a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences?  Has the community been disproportionately impacted by environmental factors?  Is the public engaged in other revitalization efforts and, if so, are there any lessons to be learned about their successes or failures?

The Visual Themes in the Community: 

Is there a recurring architectural influence or original construction that may be lost if not preserved?  Are there attractive community features?  Is there a certain expectation for the design that must be respected in order to receive support from local residents?  Are there historical and preservation areas (this is important even in towns that are nearly abandoned, since recreating a historical representation can often be a key component of revitalizing potentially contaminated sites)?  How relevant is your revitalization idea to the community (if your revitalization idea is more relevant to the community, the more accepted and supported the revitalization will be)?  If an artist’s conception or model of the envisioned project is shown to the community, how can one engage the people of the community to be more involved and provide feedback about the envisioned project?

The Heart of the Community: 

Where is the heart of the town or city?  What are the key community interest areas?  Where are the meeting places, and the center of the community celebrations and exhibitions (perhaps there is an area where local musicians gather to play music, or a shopping area that attracts local gatherings)?  If none of these areas or places exist, how can the property be redeveloped into a community meeting place (this could be an alarming reason for the downsizing and economic decline of the city; this is an excellent way to gain community support and make a lasting impression)?  What are the roles of schools, churches, social and civic organizations and other institutions?  Who lives and works in this community?  What languages are spoken?  What minority groups are present?

The Economic Opportunities within the Community: 

What is the current income distribution, in the area surrounding the proposed site?  What are the main occupations of the residents?  Do historical records reflect a similar story to the current economy?  How can this revitalization plan incorporate needed jobs and possible educational opportunities?  What possibilities will invite business into the community and draw involvement from the local residents?

The Local and Regional Population Characteristics: 

What is the importance of the site within a regional context?  What are the demographics of the county where the site is located?  How far away are the next larger towns and cities?  Are they experiencing growth or decline?  What are the economics of the region? 

Some of the questions can be addressed by the following Census Data/Demographic Information and Indicators listed below:

Census and demographic data can be easily obtained through the U.S. Census Bureau.  

The information gathered in the community assessment will help to identify the people who will benefit the most from the revitalization project.  Once the community assessment has been completed, a strategic plan can be developed to analyze all resources, assets, and planning efforts, to consider the community’s vision and to set forth a path toward revitalization.  “The sum is more than a total of its parts.”