Geographically Targeted Place-Based Community Development Interventions: A Systematic Review and Examination of Studies' Methodological Rigor

Targeted interventions to improve specific geographic areas have been a significant policy and intervention tool for the past 50 years. However, few reviews provide a comprehensive examination of studies' methodological rigor that assesses the effects of geographically targeted place-based community development interventions across intervention types. Accordingly, this review synthesizes research on geographically targeted place-based community development interventions to identify strategies utilized, outcomes measured, methodological strengths and limitations, and intervention effectiveness. A systematic search yielded 31 articles representing 29 unique studies for review. The methodological quality of each study was assessed, and intervention effects were examined. Workforce and economic development programs are the most commonly evaluated intervention in this review, whereas property value is the most common outcome measured. Geographically targeted interventions are effective at increasing property values but achieve mixed results across other indicators. Recommendations include measurement of consistent outcomes and conducting program-wide and site-specific analyses to assess intervention effectiveness.