Community Development Corporations

A community development corporation (CDC) is a nonprofit organization rooted in a particular neighborhood, usually governed by a board that includes residents, whose purpose is to improve the area's housing, businesses and services. CDCs are private nonprofits, not government agencies, though they rely heavily on public funds and often work as partners to city departments and authorities. ^[1]

1 What CDCs do

Philadelphia's CDCs emerged from the civil-rights and anti-poverty movements of the 1960s and expanded through federal housing and community-development programs. Contemporary activities include developing and managing affordable rental and homeownership housing, preserving existing homes through repair programs, providing housing counseling and foreclosure prevention, managing neighborhood commercial corridors, running workforce and youth programs, and organizing residents. Many hold property through the Philadelphia Land Bank or the Redevelopment Authority, developing vacant lots into housing or open space.

2 PACDC and the CDC network

The Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations is the trade and advocacy association for the sector. Its website reports more than 150 members, of which more than 60 are CDCs, and the rest are other stakeholders such as lenders, developers, architects and service providers. PACDC provides training, publishes economic-impact research and advocates before City Council, the state legislature and Congress for housing and neighborhood-investment funding. It also holds an annual gala and award ceremony. According to its website, PACDC runs a Community Development Leadership Institute that trains future neighborhood leaders in real estate finance, community engagement, communications and fundraising, and its policy work has covered investor ownership of homes, quick-strike property acquisition, commercial corridor development and a set of 22 equitable-development recommendations. Its office is at 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 920, and its phone number is (215) 732-5829. ^[2]

3 Funding and city partnerships

CDCs are funded through a mix of city programs (administered by the Division of Housing and Community Development, the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation and the Commerce Department), federal block grants and tax credits, state housing finance, and foundation and bank grants (see Philanthropy in Philadelphia). Developer fees from completed housing projects often pay for operating expenses. Because many depend on a limited set of public programs, changes in federal and city budgets directly affect their capacity.

4 Influence, tensions and criticism

CDC leaders also serve on public bodies: the Philadelphia Land Bank's board, for example, includes the executive directors or presidents of the Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation and the HACE Community Development Corporation (see Philadelphia Land Bank). In April 2025 Councilmember Jamie Gauthier introduced a bill intended to help CDCs build affordable housing and resist displacement, according to a City Council press release. CDCs shape local land-use decisions through zoning review (many are also Registered Community Organizations), through site control of vacant parcels and through their relationships with District Council members. Supporters credit them with delivering affordable housing and stabilizing neighborhoods. Critics and some residents have argued that some CDCs lack broad resident accountability, that their funding dependency can limit advocacy, or that their projects can themselves contribute to gentrification pressures. CDCs differ widely in size, from small volunteer-led organizations to multi-million-dollar developers.

5 Working with a CDC

Residents can find their local CDC through PACDC's member directory or the City's housing counseling list. CDCs commonly host community meetings, offer home-repair and tax-assistance programs, and take part in the block and neighborhood organizing that feeds into city decision-making. Boards are open to resident membership in many cases.

See also: Civic and Neighborhood Associations, Tenant and Housing Advocacy Groups, Philadelphia Housing Authority.

References

1. Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, "About PACDC" (pacdc.org/about).
2. PACDC, FY24 Annual Report and 2026 Gala materials (pacdc.org); National Community Reinvestment Coalition, "Changing the Landscape: How Community Development Advocates Build Capacity and Power in Philadelphia."
3. PACDC, home page and contact information (pacdc.org, accessed October 2026); Philadelphia City Council, press release on Councilmember Gauthier's April 10, 2025 bill; Philadelphia Land Bank, Board of Directors page (phillylandbank.org).
4. City of Philadelphia, Division of Housing and Community Development program descriptions (phila.gov).