In a country based on the accrual of capital, wealth building aligns as closely with the American image as the Stars and Stripes. Yet the very notion of who builds that wealth, and who ultimately bears the cost of its accumulation is a story just as deeply woven into the fabric of the American story. In Issue 2, we highlighted the accounting of racialized expenses and revenues in community development, built on the foundation of the theft of land and labor and compounded through exclusionary access to investment and benefits and the active dismantling of the economic systems that communities of color built in spite of this. And still, community development can perpetuate these effects, where the greatest proportion of benefits can inadvertently (or purposefully) flow to those who already have capital, never trickling down to those who need it the most, the very communities that policies purportedly are meant to support.

But community development can also expand our definition of wealth. What can happen when we acknowledge a more holistic set of assets in what we own and include past racialized harms in what we owe? Can we accumulate wealth, not only for the sake of reinvestment and lining the coffers, but to reinvest to foster a greater degree of shared power? When community development practitioners consider wealth beyond capital, what can that afford us in our collective ledger? What transformative power can community wealth building unlock for our neighborhoods when we ensure that everyone has the means to participate? Can we move beyond mere survival to genuine thriving?

The writers in this issue consider the tensions between leveraging a capitalist system that was only intended to work for white men, and the possibilities of building entirely new economic systems. They explore the opportunities and limitations of expanding homeownership as a wealth building vehicle. From guaranteed income to shared ownership models, they highlight models that prioritize sustainable community well-being, foster democratic control of assets, and strengthen resident power. Practitioners show that a more just economy isn’t just an idealistic fantasy, but a tangible reality within reach. Because money may not buy happiness, but it can invest in the conditions for health and well-being for everyone in our communities.

Onward.