Six Cities Chosen For Help With Low-Income Families
As a direct result of their commitment to improving the lives of low- to moderate- income families, six cities have been chosen by the National League of Cities (NLC) to participate in the second phase of its technical assistance project, Cities Helping Families Build Assets.
Burlington, Vt.; Itta Bena, Miss.; Louisville, Ky.; Orlando, Fla.; Savannah, Ga.; and Seattle, Wash., were selected based on their proven commitment to developing initiatives that foster programs to build financial stability and other types of assets among their poorest constituents.
Clifford Johnson, executive director of NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education and Families, said the project will offer a range of resources and information to these cities as they craft programs for families seeking financial security. “Each selected city has demonstrated a commitment to helping its citizens — especially those with the fewest resources — work toward increased financial stability. It is vital that every member of a community have the essential knowledge and tools to maximize his or her earnings, both for individual well-being and the financial health of the entire community.”
NLC will work closely with the selected cities to assist with the implementation of defined action plans created as part of the first phase of the project. NLC is supporting the efforts of participating cities by providing training, technical assistance and other tools and materials.
Selected cities and their action plans are:
— Seattle: Create citywide asset-building services for families, while targeting intensive services to specific populations within the public housing system; work with the Federal Reserve Bank, other local financial institutions and various other community stakeholders to bring banking services to low-income communities without access to those services.
— Savannah: Expand the city’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) efforts and Individual Development Account (IDA) programs, including a homeownership and youth education IDA; focus on more strategic planning for a city asset-building coalition involving banks and business leaders.
— Louisville: Create a workforce collaborative on asset building with support from local employers; create an online clearinghouse and resource book of asset-building programs; and launch Louisville Saves campaign designed to help connect residents to bank accounts.
— Orlando: Bring asset-building activities to a high-poverty neighborhood; expand the city’s ExtraCredit campaign — a business-led EITC outreach campaign — to include more businesses and encourage those businesses to promote child care subsidies; develop a financial education initiative; and develop new IDA, banking and asset protection initiatives.
— Burlington: Reduce predatory lending by identifying the scope of the problem; combat high-interest refund anticipation loans (RALs); develop ways to reduce predatory rent-to-own practices; expand EITC, savings and homeownership programs; and explore possible mandatory financial education in the high school curriculum.
— Itta Bena: Establish collaborative relationships with stakeholders including employers, banks, and community organizations; utilize partnerships with faith-based organizations to educate residents about savings, predatory practices and the EITC; initiate a Mayor-led poverty eradication campaign.
During the first phase of the project, which took place between September 2005 and June 2006, a team of representatives from each city participated in a series of site visits that showcased model city-led, asset-building strategies in other communities. Information gained on these visits helped the cities develop their own action plans to help local residents build and protect their assets.
The Assets project is led by NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education and Families and is supported by the Ford Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Strengthening America through stronger cities, towns and villages, the National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization for American cities.
NLC serves as a resource and advocate for 18,000 cities, towns and villages which collectively serve 225 million people.
