The October 2001 issue of Environment and Urbanization has been prepared by Shack Dwellers International (SDI), a network of community organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It includes articles by members on strategies and approaches that have been found to be of particular importance. for example; the use of savings and credit as a means of building strong local organizations, and an illustration of how the process has taken hold in a number of “new” countries. It also includes perspectives from a range of development professionals and agencies on the significance of SDI and a description of new relations with local authorities and state agencies that the grassroots organizations have been able to negotiate. Photo-essays on community site development and construction show some of the work of member organizations.