Part of the definition of community development is derived from the application of the process in the planning and provision of adequate housing for the members of a community, in addition to its role in defining and maintaining a specific housing plan for the community in question. As such, the relationship between housing and community development can be drawn from the fact that housing is one of the main factors in the development of a community. The leaders of the community must necessarily have laws regarding specific types of housing requirements that will help meet any type of housing related needs in the community. They must also ensure that the zoning laws are strictly enforced in order to maintain order in the community as well as any other type of appearance the community wants to achieve.
An application of housing and community development can be seen in the responsibility of the community leaders ensuring that projections are made toward any expected housing requirements of the members of the community in order to ensure that there is adequate housing for all. This might include the enactment of laws regarding tenancy and the regulation of the relationship between landlords and tenants. For example, housing and community development are related in the sense that laws prohibiting landlords from discriminating against certain types of tenants based on features like religion or the fact that they might be handicapped will serve as a step toward ensuring community development.
Housing and community development are also related by the fact that the leaders of the community are responsible for ensuring that the various housing units are built to certain stated and acceptable standards in line with the general aim for the community in terms of living conditions and appearance. This includes the enforcement of housing codes that ensure acceptable standards as well as other aesthetic and environmental concerns that may be included in the master plan for the community. An example of this is seen in places where the value of the community is improved through the strict implementation and application of the uniformity of buildings or the application of preapproved designs for the construction of new homes and other edifices. Communities that do not have this sort of strict application of housing designs and plans generally do not have the same aesthetic and practical value as communities that do, leading to the impression that such communities are lagging behind in the development process.