Students of the Better Buildings, Better Blocks class are getting a lesson in real estate development. Not only do participants have the chance to build a business, they will also be doing it in their own neighborhoods and therefore investing in their own community. The course was hatched as an idea to work toward bridging the racial wealth gap and allowing Black community members in Detroit to access real estate development projects.

"Land defenders" from the Six Nations blocked a planned housing development on contested land by swiftly moving to occupy the site, even after a police raid in which nine protesters were arrested. In place of the now-canceled development, the community erected a dozen tiny homes and a communal kitchen. The protest serves as a model for another occupation by members of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation at Kahnawake, whose 75-day holdout protests a planned 290-unit housing development on land that is subject to the nation's unresolved claim.

Groups like the Mutual Aid – New Orleans Facebook group take a community-focused approach to disaster response and gather volunteers to deliver supplies to those in need in the aftermath of disasters like hurricanes and flooding. Frustrated by slow and oftentimes nonexistent government aid, these communities are taking matters into their own hands to effectively provide relief to fellow residents when disaster strikes.

Philly Community Wireless addresses the digital divide in the area by developing a community-owned, Wi-Fi mesh network. The community-owned structure means the network doesn’t rely on power lines or subscribers but instead runs on partnerships and grants, providing people with free internet access. Antennas for the network can broadcast within a 100 to 200-foot radius and there are currently 30 Wi-Fi access points throughout the city.

The Conditional Cash Transfer program provides a monthly stipend to low-income individuals. The program was implemented in six local government areas and benefits over 48,000 people. Thanks to the funds from the program, several local women were able to pool their stipends together to repair their area’s only borehole to ensure locals have access to clean water.