The purpose of this paper was to draw implications for community economic development policies of Korean local governments by investigating the community economic development policies of the USA local governments. Those policies can be segmented to first wave(1950s-1970s), second wave(1980s), and third wave(1990s) of development policy. First two policies entailed some expense to community residents by providing low tax rates, tax abatement, tax reliefs, industrial revenue bonds, and direct state loans for potential companies. These policies brought ‘clawback’ and ‘drawbacks’ to the local residents. The third wave of community economic development policy includes capital market programs(predominantly government-financed loan programs and government support for predominantly privately financed loan or equity programs), providing information and education for small business in the communities, supporting small business by providing high technology and research, and export assistance-providing information/training opportunity how to export, sending trade missions, and export financing. Local government authorities in Korea should learn the community economic development policies administrated by the USA local governments so that they can avoid the potential try-and-errors in establishing, planning, and administrating their economic development policies.