Answer to Question 1
Many American (and foreign) cities have pockets of deeply troubled communities. These pockets have high rates of crime, violence, unemployment, welfare dependency, gangs, drug involvement, homelessness, and vacant and abandoned land and buildings. One of the paths to find solutions for deteriorated communities is the asset-based approach.
The asset-based model focuses on the development of policies and activities based on the assets, skills, and capacities of lower income people and their neighborhoods. The asset-based approach believes that significant local community people are committed to investing themselves and their resources in improving the community. This approach believes sustainable development of a community must start from within the community-rather than waiting for significant help to arrive from outside the community. Instead of viewing the residents of a deteriorated neighborhood as being clients, this model views residents as being citizens-who have untapped resources, assets, capabilities, and potential. The focus is on the community's assets, capacities, and abilities. In addition, every community has a number of citizens' associations where the citizens assemble to share common interests and activities, and to solve problems. Every community has associations with religious, athletic, cultural, and recreational purposes. These associations are key instruments in having the potential for community development. Additional assets in a community are private businesses; public institutions such as police and fire stations, parks, schools, and libraries; social service agencies; hospitals; and medical clinics. The key to asset-based community development is mobilizing the assets of individuals, associations, businesses, and public institutions to build a community from inside out.
Answer to Question 2
B