Community First, Inc. (CFI) began with a mission to create a positive public forum within the community to encourage compatible redevelopment as existing, established neighborhoods began their adjustment to changing market demands. The group formed in 2001 from a diverse group of Naperville residents concerned about preserving the architectural character of their neighborhoods.

The group arose out of the fractious local debate over quality-of-Iife issues that emerged as redevelopment began to impact Naperville's residents living within its many close-to-downtown neighborhoods. CFI members were drawn from both sides of the debate to help bridge the divisions that arose among the competing interests involved in the process of either replacing homes or undertaking major remodeling projects.

A primary CFI mission is to provide a forum for residents and building industry professionals to discuss and resolve redevelopment issues and concerns. Board members provide a forum that includes residents, home builders, architects, engineers, real estate and building industry professionals, and other community leaders who are volunteering their expertise and insight in the service of the CFI mission.

To launch its mission, CFI published the "Workbook for Successful Redevelopment" in early 2002. The Workbook provides guidelines for rebuilding and remodeling homes within established neighborhoods. Users are educated about relevant design issues with the use of a series of questions that create an awareness of the need to strongly consider the context of the established neighborhood before architectural design begins.

The Workbook provides architectural considerations for designing a project to meet a homeowner's desired form and functional criteria consistent with preserving the character of existing neighborhoods. CFI makes positive contributions to the process of home redevelopment by educating the public on redevelopment issues and providing architectural design ideas to help in the construction of new homes and remodeling projects to complement existing housing while achieving greater neighborhood acceptance. The City of Naperville provides the Workbook to builders and architects as one of their primary tools in managing redevelopment issues.

CFI has created a variety of programs to foster understanding of the many, inter-related redevelopment issues. CFI works to educate builders, architects, and the residents who create the demand for new, larger homes, about the need to consider the character and aesthetics of existing neighborhoods. The group offers successful ideas to improve redevelopment project results. Methods used to accomplish this mission include presentations to homeowner's associations and other interested local groups, design workshops for builders, architects, and residents, and design award programs showcasing the excellent architectural design and redevelopment value added to the community.

Community First, Inc. is recognized as a 5O1(c)(3), non-profit, educational organization by the Internal Revenue Service. This designation prohibits CFI from advocating for political positions on local, state, or federal legislative issues or to support candidates for political office.

CFI’s mission rests on the three pillars of "Education, Communication, and Cooperation". The Board of Director members of Community First, Inc. strive to continue to reach out to the community by:

• Actively communicating the ideas of the Workbook to the home-building community;
• Educating residents on the benefits of using the Workbook's guidelines; and
• Fostering methods of cooperation among residents who are planning new homes or major home remodeling, their architect and home builder, the city government, and the neighbors of the redeveloped home sites.
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