Because it is based upon the premise that learning is a lifelong process and that citizen involvement is essential to neighborhood problem solving, community education is particularly attuned to the current needs of cities and can be particularly effective in responding to urban housing needs. One way in which leaders can simultaneously address the problems caused by urban school closings and housing shortages is to convert vacant schools into housing with community education centers. In the past few years, such community educational centers have been successful in contributing to neighborhood preservation through home repair, weatherization, and home security programs. Included among the cities that have such programs are Newton, Massachusetts; Boston, Massachusetts; Anchorage, Alaska; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Roanoke, Virginia; and Wichita, Kansas. (This issue paper contains descriptions of the community education programs in each of the above-mentioned cities as well as implementation strategies and resources for use in initiating the community education process.) (MN)