Redeveloping into a Healthy Community

Step 1: Organize the Development Community

When officials, developers, community supporters, and residents work together, they can take a more well-rounded approach to building a better community.

Step 2: Evaluate Environmental and Health Issues

Learning about environmental and health issues at the beginning of the project can help ensure a safer project. It can show opportunities for the project to promote a healthier community. ATSDR offers tools to help people learn more about health and environmental concerns that could affect revitalization projects.

Sometimes communities are concerned about contaminants and potential health effects from a site. ATSDR can help communities address these concerns.

Step 3: Communicate Risks or Health Issues

Help community members learn more about how revitalization projects can address health and environmental issues

Step 4: Redesign with Health in Mind

Ask the important questions to build a healthier community. Plan redevelopment to promote healthier places to live and work.

Step 5: Measure Success: Environmental and Health Change

Make the best use of your resources by measuring health factors that affect the community. Measure to see if your project improves community health.

Resources to Help Renew Communities

• See where ATSDR's National Brownfields / Land Reuse Initiative has helped build healthier communities.
• Find out what tools ATSDR can provide to evaluate environmental and health issues.
• Read more about successfully including health in redevelopment and revitalization.