Issues in securing the community's sanction before making an intervention

Achieving successful community change is a complex and daunting task. Indeed there is substantial concern today that American communities may be less capable in dealing with challenges than in many times during the past. The article reviews the community from a systems perspective and identifies the major properties that must be identified before any community intervention. This includes the initiation of both internal and external change. It concludes with a checklist of items that must be addressed to bring community change and a call for increasing community efficacy to deal with challenges.