Ron Gaydos
Pittsburgh Chamber of Cooperatives co-Founder and Manager
Pittsburgh MSA
Bridging traditional economic and community development with new economy models such as cooperatives, community land trusts, and local currencies.
I am also working on "Immersive Development", where development does not proceed without invitation from existing community members, and initiatives are cooperatively developed by neighbor, investor, and broader local leadership. This is a step beyond "Inclusive Development", where development investment goes in to a community and attempts to involve existing community members in planning and employment. While the community benefits of this is limited it is far better than "Invasive Development", where investment is made without regard to community impact and is usually characterized by the gentrification/displacement cycle.
My group, the Pittsburgh Chamber of Cooperatives, like many groups growing the cooperative economy, is organizing "high-opportunity-low-pay" occupations, whose workers would greatly benefit from worker ownership and governance.