Despite declining conditions in many U.S. urban neighborhoods, some people have organized and planned programs and services at the neigh
borhood level. This article reports research designed to assess the scope and quality of participation in neighborhood organizations in Detroit, one of the nation's most seriously distressed cities. The findings suggest that although people participate in organizations with a wide range of activities
and accomplishments, their leaders perceive that neighborhood problems
are worsening and that neighborhood participation and organizational
resources are not necessarily enough to reverse decline.
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