The Role of Anchor Institutions in Restoring Neighborhoods: Health Institutions as a Catalyst for Affordable Housing and Community Development

Janet Viveiros and Lisa Sturtevant

While the bio-medical definition of health focuses on the absence of disease, when asked what makes them feel healthy, communities often identify many other factors ranging from financial security to nourishing relationships. This new report from the Creating Health Collaborative, a national community of practitioners, puts forth principles for “creating health beyond healthcare” and identifies key drivers shifting the field. Notable principles include embracing complexity, measuring what matters, acknowledging power imbalances, and sustainability. The report is drawn from the Creating Health Collaborative’s July 2015 convening:

There is enormous potential for anchor institutions to be important partners in neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing development; however, not all institutions take on that role. Leaders at an anchor institution sometimes do not see the benefits associated with community development activities, or they do not know the best way to have an impact... Read full report.

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