1999年，台北市政府開始推動社區規劃師制度，希望藉此制度激勵空間專業者走入社區，與社區結合，為社區提供專業諮詢或地區環境診斷之專業規劃設計等工作，而後更大力配合推動城鄉風貌、社區總體營造等政策，試圖帶動居民自發性的社區營造；2001年，為配合社區規劃師推動社造，設置了社區規劃服務中心，希望作為社規師在各方面的資源整合平台。
在社區發展運動中，需要專業者、使用者及決策者三者配合得宜，社區發展才能有效落實。而現階段的社區結構，大多是不夠緊密的，大部分居民對居住環境不夠關心是社區發展最大的問題，而社區規劃師則藉由各種相關制度扮演著帶動社區居民關心居住環境的角色。但推動至今仍然有很大的改善空間，例如，大多數社區居民不知道要透過哪些管道去參與社區發展或社區改造？更不知道什麼是社區規劃師？而社區規劃師也有本身條件上的缺失。
社區規劃服務中心原設置目的是幫助社區規劃師，建置地區資料庫，傳承社造及地區規劃成果，作為各單位之間的交流平台，讓社造活動能更順利。但運作至今，在與居民的互動與各單位間的交流仍未達理想，而原應是持續工作的單位，現今也由十三個減為六個，是否能達到其原本之目標?
本研究以質性研究方法，對專家學者、相關工作者進行深度訪談，並配合實際參與之調查，對社區規劃師制度之社區規劃服務中心進行其定位之探討，了解其核心價值（綱）及其地方行動（本）應為何？以進一步了解其定位為何?並對相關單位-社區規劃服務中心、社區規劃師、社區大學、公部門及居民進行檢討，希望藉此檢視機制的問題點並提出討論，進而能更加落實此一機制。期望每個社區居民經過共同的參與及經常性的接觸後，都能將關心社區、共同推動社區發展的行動視為理所當然，共構以民為本的社區規劃體系。
經過本研究之探討，社區規劃服務中心應定位為具以下功能之單位：第一是知識的分享：提供適當的資訊和教育以加強建立正確的觀念及參與社造之能力。第二是資訊的傳遞：應主動用各種管道將各種資訊傳達出去，以增加公平參與及交流溝通的機會。第三是資源的整合：有效整合及利用各界資源，使其方便取得、利用並避免浪費；並做為各單位間良好的溝通橋樑。第四是姿態的轉變：應順應時勢，將社造以各種型態推銷給大眾，使其感覺親切而願意接受。第五是專業的服務：以各種方式提供最專業之服務，幫助想要參與社造之民眾，以增進社區營造精神在台灣之成長。
Community planning service centers are originally set up to help community planners to establish databases of the community and collect information of past achievements and experiences. They serve as exchange platforms that facilitate community development activities. However, up to date, these community planning service centers have not been effectively interacted with local residents and the involved units and the number of such centers has also been reduced from 13 to 6 units. Is such setup still effective to achieve the original objectives?
This study is a qualitative research which aims to explore the role, the core values, and the activities of the community planning service center (community planner system) through in-depth interviews with the involved scholars, experts and actual participants in their operations. This study will also expand its scope by discussing the matters with the community planning centers, community planners, community colleges, the public sector, and the residents, aiming to restructure this system into a more efficient mechanism. This study wishes to achieve the results of bringing awareness to the members of their communities through public participation and regular meetings and jointly build communities that are resident-oriented.
Through the analyses of this study, we find that a community planning center should have the following functions:
1. Knowledge sharing: provide adequate information and education to instill the right values and the abilities to participate in community redevelopment.
2. Information conveyance: spread information through all available means to encourage public participation and communication.
3. Resource integration: efficiently integrate and utilize resources from all sources and serve as a good mediator to link up the related organizations.
4. Attitude change: the community planning service centers should be friendly and willing to accept suggestions from the communities as well as promote all options of community redevelopment to the residents.
5. Professional services: community planning service centers should provide professional services to those who are willing to participate in community empowerment and help to instill the value of sustainable development of Taiwan’s communities.
