Community Development: Politics, Strategies, and Project Analysis

This report analyzes a $400 million, 500-home mixed-use development project in Flowood, Mississippi, undertaken by Southern Lifestyle Development. The project spans 240 acres and includes 150 homes in its first phase. The report examines economic challenges, local planning transitions, and the theoretical underpinnings of the development. It explores the project's sustainability prospects, emphasizing the roles of public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. The analysis considers planning challenges related to globalization, national policies, and the impact on the local community, including the relocation of Community Bank's headquarters. The project aims to foster economic growth and a close-knit community, highlighting the importance of innovation and sustainability.

Running head: POLITICS, STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES OF COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT1
Politics, Strategies and Initiatives of Community Development
Institution’s Name:
Student’s Name:

POLITICS, STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 2
500-home mixed-use development is an investment which is worth $400 million. The
project will run for a maximum of ten years. The project will be conducted in Flowood. The
project will cover a 240 acres land. The location for the project is East Metro Parkway the south
of the market called Dogwood. Robert Daigle one of the investors of the project says “the
property will be truly mixed use in the commercial town center area, similar to small towns
around the country”. This project will be run by the company called Southern Lifestyle
Development. The land was bought by the company from Community Bank. The project is
scheduled to start officially on the month may. However the project is already working but the
launching will be conducted in that month. First phase will include the development of the 150
homes that are amongst the 500 homes. Phase one will be constructed on an area of 70 acres. The
homes that will be built will vary in size and also in style. However, the prices of the homes have
not yet been set. The homes will have a surrounding that has retail stores and restaurants.
Therefore, an exploration will be conducted showing the economic challenges the project will
face, the transition of the project in local planning, the theory that undergirds the development of
the project, the enhancing prospects of community sustainability and the role that the private plus
not for profit sectors play towards making the project a success (Kerzner, 2017).
In relation to Leigh and Blakely, the project will face some of the planning challenges
which are related to local planning, national policies, theory for economic development and
professionalism. Under local planning, the project will face the challenge of globalization, the
influence of sourcing or outsourcing the project. The project will also consider how the place
will look like in future. The project will also consider leaving some places for future
development and expansion since things keep changing every now and then. They should think
of employing new techniques that are in line with the changing world. Under national policies,

POLITICS, STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 3
the project will have to research on the approaches that are used for economic development for
the project to succeed. The project will also consider the trade policy and health care policy
whereby the investors behind the project will see if the area where the homes will be built
experience any climatic changes that may cause diseases. This will trigger the acquiring of the
health policy. The project will also experience the problem of workfare. This will trigger
acquiring of the policy that guides the workers and how they operate (Leigh, Blakely, 2016).
The area under which the project was built experienced a lot of transition in terms of
local planning. Community Bank will bring its headquarters within the area due to availability of
space. The headquarters will serve as the cornerstone of the states in the area. Therefore, banking
services will be brought closer to the people. The facility will also provide tenant spaces hence
creating live work play. The project will also boost economic growth within the area (Van Der
Schoor, Scholtens, 2015).
In relation to the jurisdiction of project development, the project will contain creativity
plus drive capability within the area it is set to operate. Therefore, the project should come up
with new ideas that are exciting and beneficial to the community. The theory further suggests
that there should be important innovations within the project hence leading to holding a potential
project towards the community (Pauly, MacDonald, 2013). Enhancing the prospects for
sustainability within the community involves upscaling use of community that is to be
developed. This will help to attract everybody to this area where the project will be set up. This
will also help to create commercial plus residential close-knit community within the area (Gupta,
Parihar, Ahirwar, Snehi, Singh, 2015). On the other hand, the public sector, private sector and not
for profit sector will play a great role towards making the project a success. The public sector
will help to set the policies that are favorable to the project hence ensuring the smooth running of

POLITICS, STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 4
the project. The private sector will offer loans and credits to the investors so as to help them run
the activities for the project. Not for profit sector will help in financing the project and providing
the needed resources for the project. Lastly, the project will play a greater role towards
improving sustainability and the development of the community (Liu, Smith, Davis, Love, Regan,
2014).

POLITICS, STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 5
References
Gupta, G., Parihar, S. S., Ahirwar, N. K., Snehi, S. K., & Singh, V. (2015). Plant growth promoting
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and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Liu, J., Love, P. E., Smith, J., Regan, M., & Davis, P. R. (2014). Life cycle critical success factors for
public-private partnership infrastructure projects. Journal of Management in Engineering, 31(5),
04014073.
Leigh, N. G., & Blakely, E. J. (2016). Planning local economic development: Theory and
practice. SAGE publications.
Pauly, B. B., MacDonald, M., Hancock, T., Martin, W., & Perkin, K. (2013). Reducing health inequities: the
contribution of core public health services in BC. BMC Public Health, 13(1), 550.
Van Der Schoor, T., & Scholtens, B. (2015). Power to the people: Local community initiatives and the
transition to sustainable energy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 43, 666-675.