About Us

Our Mission is to stabilize and revitalize the East Side neighborhoods that we serve in order to improve the quality of life for all those who reside or work here. We aim to reduce neighborhood blight, preserve current housing stock, increase the availability of quality home ownership opportunities and affordable well-managed rental units, provide economic and educational programs, promote the activities of new and existing businesses and create a safer, healthier community for all.  We seek to foster open channels of communication among those within the community and the government.  We involve all that have an interest and encourage their leadership and growth to achieve these objectives.

What We Do:
Since 1987, the CDC has sought to correct the major issues, that have had a negative impact on its service area, which includes diverse, low-income neighborhoods. It has done so by developing holistic programs formulated with direct input of residents, businesses and community leaders. The CDC strategically invests significant amounts of leveraged resources and much of its own equity into the community in an effort to address a multitude of issues simultaneously. The ability to act decisively and expediently in these matters has enabled the CDC to purchase property inexpensively and to create programs efficiently. 

Housing Rehab:
By all accounts, vacant properties are a curse.  Ask anyone who lives next to a boarded-up property or a trash-filled lot. The evidence shows that vacant properties are an expense that local governments simply cannot afford – and that the expense grows with every year a property remains vacant or abandoned. Such properties produce no or little property tax income and they often become a breeding ground for crime, arson and illegal dumping which can lead to health issues. 

In fiscal 2014, using its cash reserves, WESCDC purchased, rehabbed and returned to the market five homes throughout the City of Worcester.  The success of these rehabs have both the Board and the Staff excited and committed to continuing and growing this program throughout the City and surrounding communities.