Undergraduate Research in Distressed Urban Communities: An Undervalued Form of Service-Learning

Increasing rates of urban poverty are stretching the human and capital resources of many community-based organizations. Such groups are finding it increasingly difficult to assist local residents in responding to new community issues or problems. Undergraduate students can assist these organizations in addressing such issues by completing participatory action research (PAR) projects in collaboration with local residents and leaders. This article describes two PAR projects completed by undergraduate students for community-based organizations in New York City which dramatically affected municipal economic development and affordable housing policies in two low-income minority communities. (author)