Strong community advocacy and a bit of elbow grease can change a neighborhood’s outlook for the better. It just takes the right strategy.

Habitat for Humanity, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is launching a two-year effort to study the health and quality of life impact of a neighborhood revitalization approach that puts residents in the driver’s seat for change, with a focus on six neighborhoods across America.

The communities involved in the study are in the following cities:

Westside neighborhood of Central Berksire, Mass.

McComb Veazey neighborhood of Lafayette, La.

Washington (Long Beach) neighborhood of Los Angeles

8Twelve neighborhood of Muncie, Ind.

Sharswood neighborhood of Philadelphia

Larimer neighborhood of Pittsburgh

As homeowners’ needs evolve, Habitat is consistently at the forefront of that change. Habitat’s new Quality of Life Framework is a holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization that goes beyond a single home to things like economic opportunity and safety that are critical to the wellbeing of an entire neighborhood.

“As neighborhood aspirations and individual circumstances change, we expect that this type of hands-on collaboration and research will pave the way for smarter long-term strategies,” said Rebecca Hix, director of Neighborhood Revitalization, Habitat for Humanity International. “We’ll use this time on the ground with residents and community leaders to test and refine our framework while improving the overall quality of life in these neighborhoods.”

Seven years of Neighborhood Revitalization projects across the country have revealed that isolation, mistrust and lack of common identity are roadblocks to long-term change. This new two-year study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation seeks to collect tangible evidence on how community engagement can overcome these barriers and put resident voices at the forefront of new approaches.

“Habitat for Humanity’s expertise in providing safe, secure and affordable housing, coupled with this project’s focus on resident leadership and creating the conditions for better health and wellbeing, position this effort as a promising model for building a Culture of Health in communities across the nation,” said Don Schwarz, senior vice president of program at RWJF.

Habitat for Humanity works to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter, alongside homeowners and communities. Habitat’s values naturally align with those of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which focuses on improving the conditions in communities that allow all residents to reach their best possible health and well-being, regardless of who they are, where they live or how much money they make.