In the final words of his iconic Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln spoke hopefully about a government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” CDCs would not come into existence for another 100 years, yet it’s hard to think of a more apt phrase to describe them. CDCs engage constituencies of the communities they serve, are governed by local residents, and partake in community development for the benefit of these residents and communities.

Lincoln’s words take on additional significance when juxtaposed with the realities of our current national government, where none of these prepositions ring true. For too many of our neighbors, hope has been replaced by fear, by scarcity, by suffering. Furthermore, CDCs dedicated to serving their communities are facing headwinds, a portent of an approaching storm.

We already see the impact of these headwinds. Rising costs negatively impact affordable housing developers and small business owners.  Demand far outpaces supply across the board: for low-income households on a wait list for rental assistance, for affordable housing in line for development subsidies, for first-time and first-generation homebuyers seeking a dwindling supply of affordable homes. With cuts in federal programs along with an uncertain picture for state revenues, programs that sustain families and communities are increasingly at risk- a perfect storm of greater human needs and fewer resources to meet these needs.

The GOALs Report highlights the impact of a dozen CDCs who are overcoming the headwinds to accomplish extraordinary things, including the following:

Allston Brighton CDC conducted a deep energy retrofit on an older apartment building, making it 100% fossil-free and reducing energy use by more than fifty percent. NewVue Communities is renovating three historic former municipal buildings in Fitchburg into artist-preference apartments. Just a Start in Cambridge opened an Economic Mobility Hub, with affordable housing, childcare space, and space for the CDC which will allow them to ramp up their career training programs. Nectar Community Investments provided essential financing for the opening of a new supermarket in New Bedford.

We will need every ounce of our collective resourcefulness, creativity, persistence, and power- if we are to meet the demands of our time- and meet the urgent needs of individuals and communities who are, and will, most bear the brunt of the gathering storm. MACDC stands ready to work with our member organizations, with our allies and coalition partners, and with the state and federal government. We also want to serve as a connector. If you want to connect with any of the CDCs highlighted in this report- in fact with any CDC- reach out to MACDC, and we will help connect you. In our current challenging times, solidarity requires nothing less than all of the above- and more!