Abstract: This thesis presents the results of the ethnographic evaluation of the Palmetto Beach Community Care Center, a neighborhood-based community resource center located in Palmetto Beach, Tampa, Florida. The resource center is directed by the local neighborhood association and funded by the Children's Board of Hillsborough County. This study takes a participant observation approach to identify the community forces that exert an impact on the project, as well as the strategies of program development. The study identifies conflicts related to social class, property ownership, and ethnicity as main barriers to program implementation. The study suggests the integration in the association of neighborhood residents of diverse background, as a necessary condition for the success of the project.