Community development is important because it provides the foundation a city builds off of to improve the lives of its citizens. It creates strong, diverse communities that are able to attract and keep talent, start and grow businesses, and overcome issues that arise. Citizens will be happier, healthier, richer, and live longer lives.

Community development is a process where people come together to take action on what's important to them. At its heart, community development is rooted in the belief that all people should have access to health, wellbeing, wealth, justice and opportunity.

Proponents typically credit community development efforts with increasing social stability and enabling citizens in underdeveloped communities to have more productive lives. Those who tout the importance of community development also point to its positive effects on disease management.