Community-based development organizations (CBDOs) appear to be a major force for the economic and physical rejuvenation of distressed, low-income communities. A CBDO is a private nonprofit group that serves a low-income community or constituency, is governed by a community-based board, and is an ongoing producer, with at least one completed housing, commercial/industrial, or business enterprise project. Statistical data were analyzed from a 1988 survey of 961 CBDOs that focused on the following types of quantifiable accomplishments: (1) housing units completed; (2) non-residential real estate developed; (3) enterprises created; and (4) jobs generated. The following major findings are discussed: (1) CBDOs operate in every state and in virtually every major city and account for many of the current efforts to meet the needs of low-income persons; (2) CBDOs have built more than 125,000 units of housing, over 90 percent for low-income occupants; (3) CBDOs have developed 16.4 million square feet of retail space, offices, industrial parks, and other industrial developments in economically distressed communities; (4) CBDOs have made loans to 2,048 enterprises, have equity investment in 218 ventures, and own and operate 427 businesses; (5) commercial/industrial and business enterprise development activities accounted for the creation and retention of almost 90,000 jobs in the last 5 years; and (6) CBDOs are engaged in numerous activities, including community counseling, advocacy, homeless assistance, and housing counseling, that are critical to the overall process of community-based development. Statistical data are included on a map. A discussion of the research approach is appended. (FMW)