Strengthening Community Resilience to Reduce Barriers to Economic Participation During a Pandemic and a Climate Crisis

Abstract

Decisions made by multiple local and regional entities shape individual and household economic participation. One way to measure “community resilience” is through understanding an individual’s or household’s capacity to withstand shocks such as a pandemic or a natural disaster through continued participation in their regional economy. Yet discourse on community resilience often focuses on individual households, neighborhoods, or jurisdictions, rather than regions. This essay first defines community resilience in a regional context. Second, it discusses what different players in the community development (CD) field have done to try to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on individuals and households in low- and moderate-income communities and communities of color. Third, it proposes that regional collaboration holds promise for strengthening community resilience in a way that is transformative and addresses underlying vulnerabilities; two multi-site technical assistance programs that helped spur regional networks around social equity and sustainability principles provide examples of how policymakers and the CD field can further regional collaborations. Finally, this essay identifies opportunities to chart an equitable pandemic recovery that strengthens community resilience through regional collaboration.