National Capacity Building Symposium Potus

ALERT From: National Fairness (and Growth) Campaign To: Barack H. Obama, 44th President of the United States of America. Subject: .4955% We represent a “Bottoms Up” approach by “practitioners” who understand the theoretical constructs and day to day applications and practices of years of Community and Economic Development initiatives. We have the experience, expertise trying to grasp, grapple, and find the cause(s) to the profoundly, and profanely, troubling statistic stated above that reflects the apparent failure of these initiatives to significantly address dire economic circumstances in our communities. How, after more than 50 years of spending, good intentions, extraordinary sweat and other forms of investment, and why does the African American Business community earn less than one half of one percent (.4955%) of all the business revenue in the state of Ohio, according to the 1997 US Census data. This was during the boom years of the 1990’s? After all of the 90’s profits, the statistic improve marginally to .99% in the United States Nationally in 2002. Additional Statistics all state less than one percent i.e. .7040% of employees, and .6144% of all payrolls according to the same report. The ramifications and implications have manifested themselves in our communities, but have not been adequately discussed or dealt with by policy makers. Often, policy makers have inherent conflicts of interests or sensibilities with the responsibility to comply with the spirit and letter of the laws, and have violated the public trust in our communities. Careful examination of the utilization of the “Well Intended” public and private sectors endeavors found other troubling trends of manipulation “gaming” against African Americans. We launched a national initiative and process called “the National Fairness Campaign and Capacity Building Symposium”. It is to find out why and how this continuing, tragedy producing situation happened we started on January 31 2009, in Cincinnati Ohio at the (President) William Howard Taft National Historic Site (See Attached). Ohio is a laboratory not because it is worse than other states but because it represents Middle America and the opportunity to understand and Fix the situation through analysis of past practices and the search for best practices that can be utilized first in the immediately pending American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and subsequent action of the Federal Government and private Sectors. We seek the opportunity to exercise personal responsibility in the context of a fair society because our campaign for Fairness and Growth is designed to help insure that the tragic past and present (acknowledging the progress made) is not perpetrated in the future. Therefore, our Second National Symposium based upon findings of the First National Symposium to be held Friday February 13, at the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Community College in Cleveland, Ohio will be focused on continued analysis of Enforcement and Regulation. Thus, we respectfully request an immediate response regarding your direction, planning, policies and procedures for the erasure of this foul Statistic to share with the electronic and in person attendees of the Symposium. We would appreciate an in person meeting during the month of February, if not, then by Teleconference to share our finding including best practices for fairness and growth. Sincerely, Convener National Fairness Campaign, Robert Day PhD, President, Center for Urban & Rural Redevelopment General Chairman, Joseph Debro, Co-Founder, National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) Co- Chairs Pandora Ramsay, Founding President, Ohio Fairness Campaign Fredrick Hargrove, Sr. PE, MBA., former Chairman of Cincinnati Change Irvin Henderson, Former Chairman, National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). For interviews contact Joe Debro at 510.910.2691 For more information contact 614.622.4808 and or email us at [email protected] and the web site is at http://nationalfairnesscampaign.blogspot.com.

National Fairness (and Growth) Campaign Distribution List: Barack Obama, President of the United States Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff to the President Mona Sutphen, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Valerie B. Jarrett , Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison David Axelrod, Senior Advisor to the President Melody C. Barnes, Domestic Policy Adviser and the Director of the Domestic Policy Council Lawrence H. Summers, Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Christina Romer, Designate, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Peter Orszag, Director of Office of Management and Budget Christina M. Tchen, Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison Attorney General of the United States Eric H. Holder, Jr Secretary of the Treasurer, Timothy F. Geithner Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun L.S. Donovan Secretary of Commerce Designate Judd Gregg Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Charles E. Johnson Secretary of Labor Designate Hilda Solis Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood United States Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki Chairman of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volker Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mary Schapiro Chairman of the Federal Reserve Fed Ben Bernanke President of New York branch of the Federal Reserve Bank and Cice-chairman of the Federal Open Market Committee William C. Dudley Chief Executive Officer of the Fourth District Federal Reserve Bank, at Cleveland Sandra Pianalto Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Open Market Committee Elizabeth A. Duke The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, Chief Executive Officer and President David H. Hehman The National Credit Union Administration, Chairman Michael E. Fryzel The U.S. Small Business Administration Acting Administrator Darryl Hairston

The U.S. Small Business Administration Nominated Administrator Karen Gordon Mills Senator Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader Senator Roland W. Burris Senator George Voinovich Senator Sherrod Brown Senator Daniel K. Inouye Senator Richard Durbin Senator Robert Menendez Senator Susan Collins Senator Olympia Snowe Senator Arlen Specter Joe Liberman, Chairman, The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Representative Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Representative James Clyburn, House Majority Whip Representative Barbara Lee, Chairman Congressional Black Caucus Representative John Conyers , Chairman House Judiciary Committee Representative Charles B. Rangel, Chairman House Committee on Ways and Means Representative Bennie Thompson, Chairman Homeland Security Representative David Obey, Chairman House Committee on Appropriations Representative Marcia Fudge Representative John Lewis Representative Maxine Waters Representative Melvin Watts Ohio Governor Ted Strickland Ohio Lt. Gov Lee Fisher President National Community Reinvestment Coalition John Taylor Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Governor Tom Kane Chairman of the Republican National Committee Lt. Gov. Michael Steele The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People President and Chief Executive Officer Benjamin T. Jealous NAACP Ohio State Conference of Branches President Sybil Edwards-McNabb National Urban League President Marc Haydel Morial The National Black Chamber of Commerce President Harry Alford The National Minority Supplier Development Council President Harriet R. Michel Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich

National Capacity Building Symposium “Enforcement and Regulation” [ S e s s i o n I I ] A Retrospective & Best Practices Identification Symposium Part of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Fairness Campaign Convener of the National Fairness Campaign Steering Committee Dr. Robert Day, President of the Center for Urban & Rural Redevelopment

To be held at the Unified Technologies Center at Cuyahoga Community College main campus on Friday February 13th 2009, Cleveland, Ohio 9:00 AM - 4:00PM Steering Committee Advisor and Panel Moderator, Lawrence Auls, Chairman of MDi, Executive Director LISW, LTD

50 YEAR REVIEW & ANALYSIS: The Fairness Campaign will review past political agreements and governing compacts and their relationship to the social, economic development environment under an Obama Presidency. The Fairness Campaign will also identify and address historic moral gaps by examination of the Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Set-Asides, Affirmative Access, Diversity, Inclusion, New Markets Tax Credits, Business Development Programs, Empowerment Zones, Model Cities, CDBG, DOL Workforce Development Grants, Community Action Agencies, Structures, Approaches, and delivery systems for Opportunity[s] and Capacity Building.

National Fairness Campaign Steering Committee http://nationalfairnesscampaign.blogspot.com  General Chairman Joseph Debro Co-Founder, National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC)  Co-Chairwoman Pandora Ramsay, Founding President, Ohio Fairness Campaign  Co-Chairman Fredrick Hargrove, Sr. PE, MBA. former Chairman of Cincinnati Change  Co-Chairman Irvin Henderson, Former Chairman, National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC).  Convener, Dr. Robert Day PhD, President, Center for Urban & Rural Redevelopment

WHAT WORKED? WHAT DIDN’T? WHY NOT? Among the issues to be reviewed ƒ War On Poverty: Community Action Agencies, Economic Opportunity Act of 1964,, Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966 (Model Cities), Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights Act of 1968 ƒ Black Capitalism, Philadelphia Plan, Selected Contractors Strategy & Construction Apprenticeship Programs ƒ Executive Order 8802 Fair Employment Practices and follow-on actions ƒ Public Law 95-507 and modifications ƒ Ohio House Bill 584 Set Aside and its descendants such as EDGE ƒ The Small Business Investment Act and Minority capitalization programs such as Specialized SBIC’s [MSBIC’S] ƒ Small Business Administration (SBA) and other business economic and technical assistance programs ƒ CETA, New Careers, Jobs Corps, Military Service, Peace Corp, Vista ƒ Renewal Communities, Empowerment Zones ƒ National and Regional Purchasing Councils ƒ Positive capacity building pass-throughs, joint ventures, and mentor protégés ƒ Non capacity building pass-throughs, fronts, and joint ventures ƒ Troubled Assets Relief Program[s] and proposed economic recovery solutions at levels of government

National Capacity Building Symposium

“Enforcement and Regulation” A Retrospective & Best Practices Identification Symposium To be held at the Unified Technologies Center at Cuyahoga Community College main campus on Friday, February 13th 2009, Cleveland, Ohio 9:00 AM - 4:00PM

Panelists Joseph Debro - Co-Founder, National Association of Minority Contractors [NAMC] Dr. Robert Day - President, Center for Urban & Rural Redevelopment Pandora Ramsay - Founding President, Ohio Fairness Campaign Lawrence Auls – Steering Committee Advisor and Panel Moderator and Executive Director LISW, LTD who is a published author. Irvin Henderson - member of Board of trustee’s of the CRA Fund, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. Mark Batson – President, PolicyBridge, Inc Fred Hargrove Sr. PE,MBA – President of Hargrove Engineering and Chief Engineer for MDi’s BioSafe Level IV Facility AEC/GC ops. Hershel Daniels, Junior – Vice Chairman of Cincinnati Change, Co-Founder & Visionary of MDi. Carl White – President, The NET Video. Bill McCoy – President, the McCoy Company. Fredrick Hargrove – President, Contract Infinity Group.

George D. Edwards - Founder and President, Black Trades Council of Ohio Jeff Johnson - Former Ohio State Senator and former City of Cleveland Director of Community Relations Dir. Clifford King - Vice President and CRA Officer, Dollar Bank of Cleveland John Lawyer - Interim Vice President, Campus Planning and Operations, Case Western Reserve University William F. Pickard, PhD – a successful 25 year business owner of manufacturing facilities, Chairman and CEO of Vitec USA, owner of McDonalds franchisees and a volunteer instructor at Alabama State University Kathryn M. Hall CDP,MA - Resource Specialist Director Major Gifts, Health Programs, Cleveland Museum of Natural History. William Patmon - Former City of Cleveland of Councilman, former Chair of Affirmative Action and Employment Committee. Zakiyyah Saleem - Founder of Buckeye’s for Change. Andrea Harris – President of The North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development.

The current host agencies are PolicyBridge, The Black Trades Council of Ohio and the NEO Alliance for Change. Ad Purchases can be sent c/o Cincinnati Change, Inc. Fifth Third Bank at Account # 7024418605 Routing # 042000314. You can drop off Ad funds through Cincinnati Changes at any Fifth Third Bank for more information email at [email protected]. If you are buying ads via Cincinnati Change's PayPal, go to this button. Blog us at http://nationalfairnesscampaign.blogspot.com

National Capacity Building Symposium

“Enforcement and Regulation”[ S e s s i o n

II]

A Retrospective & Best Practices Identification Symposium To be held at the Unified Technologies Center at Cuyahoga Community College main campus on Friday, February 13th 2009, Cleveland, Ohio 9:00 AM - 4:00PM

Agenda 09:15 09:45 09:45 10:45 10:45 11:00 11:00 12:00 12:00 01:00 01:00 01:20 01:20 01:40 01:40 02:00 02:00 02:40 02:40 03:00 03:00 03:40 03:40 04:00

Joseph Debro / George D. Edwards / Lawrence Auls Joseph Debro / Dr. Day / Pandora Ramsey / Invited Dr. William F. Pickard

Call to Order and Introductions National Growth and Fairness Conference 50 Year Review

Conference Call Conference Call

Break Mark Batson / Carl White/ TBA

Health Policy Options and Telemedicine

In Person

Working discussion on best practices during Lunch Hershel Daniels / Fred Hargrove Sr. PE,MBA / TBA

William Patmon / George D. Edwards / Bill McCoy / TBA Fredrick Hargrove / Zakiyyah Saleem / John Lawyer / Invited Dr. William F. Pickard

Broadband America and SMART Buildings Commercial, Retail and Residential Dev, LEED Buildings, TARP Next Generation Workforce Development and the American Labor Market Small Business Development and Technical Assistance

Pandora Ramsay / Jeff Johnson / TBA

The Ohio Fairness Campaign Revisited

Dr Robert Day / TBA

Access to Capital & Credit

Lawrence Auls / TBA

Best Practices Wrap-up

Irvin Henderson / Barbara Harris / TBA

In Person Conference Call Conference Call In Person Conference Call In Person In Person In Person

The current host agencies are the PolicyBridge, The Black Trades Council of Ohio and the NEO Alliance for Change. Blog us at h t t p : / / n a t i o n a l f a i r n e s s c a m p a i g n . b l o g s p o t . c o m

The National Capacity Building Symposium [ S e s s i o n

II]

“ Enforcement and Regulation ” A Retrospective & Best Practices Identification Symposium This symposium is to be held at the

Cuyahoga Community College

Unified Technologies Center

Friday February 13th 2009, Cleveland, Ohio 9:00 AM - 4:00PM. The current host agencies are PolicyBridge, The Black Trades Council of Ohio and the NEO Ohio Alliance for Change [email us at [email protected]]. Ad buys can be sent c/o Cincinnati Change, Inc. Fifth Third Bank at Account # 7024418605 Routing # 042000314 and or 512 Carmalt Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45219. You can drop off ad buys to Cincinnati Change at any Fifth Third Bank for more information email at [email protected]. If you are buying ads via Blog us at Cincinnati Change's PayPal, go to this button.

http://nationalfairnesscampaign.blogspot.com

National Capacity Building Symposium "A

Retrospective & Best Practices Identification"

Saturday January 31, Cincinnati, Ohio 8:00 AM - 4:00PM Part of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Fairness Campaign Convener of the National Fairness Campaign Steering Committee Dr. Robert Day

The Fairness Campaign will review past political agreements and governing compacts and their relationship to the social, economic development environment under an Obama Presidency. The Fairness Campaign will also identify and address historic moral gaps. Ohio is a focal point of the Fairness Campaign because it is middle America, and has demonstrated past and current innovations to address fairness and capacity building, including state government minority business development programs, initiatives to increase the budget for the African American males commission, and the recent appointment of a non government "infrastructure czar" to oversee Ohio's portion of the proposed American reinvestment & recovery program.

National Fairness Campaign Steering Committee • • • • •

General Chairman Joesph Debro Co-Founder, National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) Co-Chairwoman Pandora Ramsay, Founding President , Ohio Fairness Campaign Co-Chairman Fredrick Hargrove, Sr. PE, MBA. former Chairman of Cincinnati Change Co-Chairman Irvin Henderson, former Chairman, National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). Convener Robert Day, PhD, President, Center for Urban & Rural Redevelopment Steering Committee Advisor and Panel Moderator Lawrence Auls, Chairman of MDi, Executive Director LISW, LTD

National Capacity Building Symposium "A

Retrospective & Best Practices Identification"

Saturday January 31, Cincinnati, Ohio 8:00 AM - 4:00PM

Agenda 08:00 08:45 08:45 09:30 09:30 09:45 09:45 11:00 11:00 12:30 12:45 13:00 13:00 13:20 13:20 13:40 13:40 14:00 14:00 14:20 14:20 14:40 14:40 15:00 15:00 16:00

Dr. Day / Lawrence Auls

Introductions

Joesph Debro

Call to Order

Break

Break

Joesph Debro / Dr. Day

Conference Call Q & A

Working Lunch

Best Practices Discussion

Pandora Ramsay

The Ohio Fairness Campaign Revisited

Dr Robert Day

Access to Capital & Credit

Irvin Henderson

Commercial, Retail and Residential Development

Fred Hargrove, Sr. PE, MBA

Construction and LEED Buildings

Bill McCoy George Edwards

Next Generation Workforce Development and the American Labor Market

Mark Batson

Health Policy Options and Telemedicine

Hershel Daniels

Broadband America and SMART Buildings

Lawrence Auls

Best Practices Wrap-up

In Person Conference Call In Person Conference Call In Person Conference Call In Person Conference Call In Person Conference Call Conference Call In Person In Person

National Capacity Building Symposium “A Retrospective & Best Practices Identification” Part of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Fairness Campaign Cincinnati, Ohio Convener of the National Fairness Campaign Steering Committee Dr. Robert Day, President of the Center for Urban & Rural Redevelopment

National Fairness Campaign Steering Committee http://nationalfairnesscampaign.blogspot.com  General Chairman Joesph Debro Co-Founder, National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC)  Co-Chairwoman Pandora Ramsay, Founding President , Ohio Fairness Campaign  Co-Chairman Fredrick Hargrove, Sr. PE, MBA. former Chairman of Cincinnati Change  Co-Chairman Irvin Henderson, Former Chairman, National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC).  Convener, Dr. Robert Day PhD, President, Center for Urban & Rural Redevelopment

Saturday January 31, Cincinnati, Ohio 8:00 AM - 4:00PM Where: PRESIDENT WILLIAM H TAFT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, 2038 Auburn Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45219 PHONE:513.429.3643

Steering Committee Advisor and Panel Moderator, Lawrence Auls, Chairman of MDi, Executive Director LISW, LTD

MORNING SESSION 8:00AM-11:00 AM

50 YEAR REVIEW & ANALYSIS: Office of Equal Opportunity [OEO], Affirmative Action, Setasides, Affirmative Access, Diversity, Inclusion, New Markets Tax Credits, Business Development Programs, Empowerment Zones, Model Cities, CDBG, DOL Workforce Development Grants, Community Action Agencies, Structures, Approaches, and delivery systems for Opportunity[s] and Capacity Building. The Fairness Campaign will review past political agreements and governing compacts and their relationship to the social, economic development environment under an Obama Presidency. The Fairness Campaign will also identify and address historic moral gaps. WHAT WORKED? WHY NOT? Among the issues to be reviewed ƒ War On Poverty: Community Action Agencies, Economic Opportunity Act of 1964,, Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966 (Model Cities), Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights Act of 1968 ƒ Black Capitalism, Philadelphia Plan, Selected Contractors Strategy ƒ Executive Order 8802 Fair Employment Practices and follow-on actions ƒ Public Law 95-507 and modifications ƒ Ohio House Bill 584 Set Aside and its descendants such as EDGE ƒ The Small Business Investment Act and Minority capitalization programs such as Specialized SBIC’s [MSBIC’S] ƒ Construction Apprenticeship Programs ƒ Small Business Administration (SBA) and other business economic and technical assistance programs ƒ CETA, New Careers, Jobs Corps, Military Service, Peace Corp, Vista ƒ Renewal Communities, Empowerment Zones ƒ National and Regional Purchasing Councils ƒ Positive capacity building pass-throughs, joint ventures, and mentor protégés ƒ Non capacity building pass-throughs, fronts, and joint ventures

A WORKING LUNCH 11:00AM-12:30 PM

AFTERNOON SESSION 12:45PM – 4:00PM

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? BEST PRACTICES FOR FAIRNESS: JOBS AND CAPACITY BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE – LEED [GREEN/ENERGY] – REDEVELOPMENT ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ

Access to Capital & Credit: Dr. Robert Day, Dr. Herb Smith and the Institute for Open Economic Networks Commercial, Retail and Residential Development: Irvin Henderson, President The Henderson Company Construction and LEED Buildings: Fred Hargrove, PE. MBA, President, Hargrove Engineering, LLC with invited Small, Medium and Large Contractors Next Generation Workforce Development and the American Labor Market: Bill McCoy, President, The McCoy Company; George B. Edwards, Founder & President, Black Trades Council of Ohio Invited – construction craftspeople including union members, apprentice and journeymen, along with workforce policy makers. Health Policy Options and Telemedicine: Mark Batson, Executive Director, PolicyBridge [think-tank]; Carl White, President The Net Video Broadband America and SMART Buildings: Hershel Daniels, Junior, Co-Founder MDi and invited Technologists

4:00PM NEXT STEPS, ADJOURNMENT

Hope for Urban America

A Policy Brief

by Randell McShepard & Mark C. Batson

PolicyBridge 850 Euclid Avenue Suite 1100 Cleveland, OH 44114 www.policy-bridge.org January 2009

As America ushers in its first African-American president, this unprecedented change comes amid unprecedented challenges. The meltdown of financial markets, the foreclosure crisis and a volatile automobile industry are but a few of the enormous problems that the new president, his administration and policy makers throughout the nation must urgently address to stimulate economic recovery. As these issues are ve�ed and stimulus options are considered, policy makers must not overlook the opportunity for real transformation of a population long overlooked and disadvantaged – the nation’s urban core. No area is more vulnerable to further decline and more in need of immediate assistance than our aging major cities, yet these areas are best poised for achieving significant gains through targeted, comprehensive policies and interventions designed to prepare them for the competitive climate of the 21st century. The challenges facing the nation’s urban core are daunting and many: crushing poverty, high unemployment, failing schools, crumbling infrastructure, rising crime and poor health care. These problems have been exacerbated by urban sprawl, which continues to strip urban communities of human and financial resources, and the transition to a global economy, which has resulted in tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs evaporating in recent years. It is li�le wonder that Cleveland and Detroit, both old industrial cities, have led the nation in poverty for the last five years. The urgent need to address these problems rises beyond simple urban policy. This is a national crisis. Without bold and aggressive government intervention, the decay of America’s cities will undoubtedly spread and worsen – in quick fashion. On the campaign trail, Barack Obama shared a vision of hope for America’s cities and underscored their importance as “key drivers of prosperity in a global economy.” That inspiring vision must now be converted into action through public policies that “stop the bleeding” in urban America. Targeted investment and a cohesive set of policies can begin the turnaround that cities desperately need and can serve as the catalyst for overall national economic recovery. The following recommendations highlight nine key policy areas that are most deserving of a�ention and investment to improve the plight of urban communities:

1. Education

The opportunities afforded to every American to live productive and prosperous lives are built on a foundation of education. All children, particularly in urban communities, need to take full advantage of educational opportunities that prepare them for 21st century careers. However, public education in far too many urban areas has generated abysmal results, especially among African-American and Latino

boys. Given the high stakes but generally low results, federal and state policies concerning urban education must incorporate radical changes. These should include support for charter schools, voucher programs, flexible public school models (with direct linkages to business and industry), aggressive recruitment of male teachers and enhanced social services for youth living in distressed communities. The Department of Education should quickly review and reauthorize the No Child Le� Behind Act and incorporate pre-kindergarten into all public education curriculums. The DOE should also consider expanding the Pell Grant program to non-traditional students of all ages to encourage advanced educational a�ainment and lifelong learning. Without significant changes to public education, no goal of transformed and rejuvenated urban communities is achievable.

2. Workforce Development

Improvements in public education will lay the foundation for a workforce be�er equipped to compete in a knowledge economy. However, workforce training, particularly for chronically unemployed adults who are 25 years of age or older, is essential for ge�ing urban America back on track. Many workers will need to be trained for the “green jobs” that the Department of Labor is rightfully anticipating. However, DOL’s Workforce Investment Act should also make training dollars available that assist employers who are developing or enhancing alternative energy technologies. These employers will need new workers to take their innovations to scale. To address the intolerable reality that 30% to 50% of minorities in many urban communities are jobless, investments in “on-the-job” training, stackable certificate programs through community colleges, and tax incentives and workforce subsidies for employers are vital for helping lower-skilled minorities find jobs that support their families. Community colleges should be funded at increased levels to provide for a wider range of occupational choices, including skilled trades. Funding for major infrastructure improvements through the economic stimulus package should include employment mandates for disadvantaged minority workers in the nation’s urban core. Such investment directives would help renew the economic base of cities but would also encourage growth and development in surrounding regions.

3. Minority and Small Businesses

Minority businesses within city cores are critical to any urban revitalization. Because the very survival of communities depends on thriving businesses that provide employment for residents and contribute taxes for government services, state and federal policies should support and complement efforts to connect minority businesses to investments designed to stimulate urban economies. The economic stimulus package must ensure that minority businesses have access to the billions of dollars distributed in order to build capacity and put Americans back to work. Dr. Thomas D. Boston of the Georgia Institute of Technology, who tracks the fastest-growing minority businesses in America through his “Gazelle Index,” found that access to government contracts was the common denominator among fast-growing minority businesses. Beyond mandating minority businesses access to economic stimulus efforts, the federal government can do more to support small businesses. The Department of Commerce must ensure that professional organizations delivering technical assistance to small businesses have the capacity to provide the technological services small businesses need to compete in a global economy. The innovative alliance between the Commerce Department and the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) is an example that should be expanded and promoted. The Obama Administration and Congress should give the Small Business Administration a wider range of authority to foster economic development by modifying parameters and requirements of existing programs. SBA should be able to provide direct lending in areas where the lack of business credit will worsen PolicyBridge is an African-American-led public policy think tank headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Its aims are to research, analyze and respond to public policy issues from a minority perspective. For more information on PolicyBridge, visit www.policy-bridge.org. PolicyBridge’s mission is: To create and sustain high-quality discourse addressing public policy issues, which enlighten and engage fellow citizens, prompting them to take action. 2

January 2009 • Hope for Urban America

already dire economic development opportunities, and the Community Reinvestment Act should be modified to include business lending. The implosion in the financial industry and subsequent government bailout emphasizes that cities – and the individual taxpayers who will ultimately finance the bailout – deserve to have be�er access to information about the lending practices of their financial institutions.

4. Housing and Neighborhoods

Foreclosures have devastated city neighborhoods, devalued properties and broken the spirits of diehard community leaders who organize block clubs, crime watches and other efforts. In many urban neighborhoods, 25% to 30% of houses are vacant. The inevitable question of “what next” weighs heavily on those responsible for maintaining these areas. Many of the vacant homes have become not merely eyesores, but havens for criminal activity. The Department of Housing and Urban Development and other federal programs must set aside significant funding for demolishing vacant structures, retrofi�ing vacant but viable buildings for business growth and a�raction, and establishing master plans to redesign and rezone these devastated neighborhoods. HUD, the Commerce Department and the Federal Communications Commission should work together to create viable “info-structure” improvements by leveraging broadband technologies to enhance services to residents and foster business innovation. The importance of “neighborhood-building” cannot be overstated. Reinvigorating America’s urban economies requires careful a�ention to restoring city neighborhoods as a�ractive, safe places to live, work and raise a family.

5. Crime and Safety

During economic downturns, crime rates o�en rise, especially in urban communities that lack jobs, a traditional family unit and hope. Federal investments in programs such as Weed and Seed, which connects safety forces with residents of the community to take proactive steps to ba�le crime, will remain critically important. Residents cannot feel “trapped” in their homes because of crime or the perception of crime. Community Development Block Grants and other federal funding will be necessary to provide for more officers on the street (particularly community policing, gang units, etc.), support intervention programs, and enable be�er use of technology to fight crime.

6. Transportation and Infrastructure

President-Elect Obama has indicated major infrastructure improvement to be a cornerstone of his efforts to stimulate employment and economic growth. The nation’s aging cities, which have endured years of use and disinvestment, should be given special priority for funding to repair and improve roads, sidewalks, bridges and related infrastructure. The migration of major employers out of central cities makes greater investment in public transportation essential for connecting urban residents with outlying employment opportunities. These investments will not only improve the infrastructure of communities, but they will provide thousands of jobs for laborers, contractors and other individuals who reside in the urban core. Ge�ing city residents engaged in eliminating blight and improving infrastructure will be an economic, psychological and social “shot in the arm” for urban America. Investment in regional and national rail and commuter transportation is vital for reducing the nation’s reliance on foreign oil and other fossil fuels. Reintroducing rail transportation would not only significantly reduce our carbon footprint, but it would also encourage more personal and business travel to small and medium-sized metropolitan areas, adding to economic growth. Rail hubs would help connect job seekers with employment opportunities in exurban areas and other cities, mitigating the ill effects of urban sprawl.

7. Health Care

Affordable health care for all is a clarion call that President-Elect Obama trumpeted throughout his campaign. Efforts to improve health-care access should begin in urban communities, where, because of poverty and lifestyle issues, individuals are dying at younger ages and in greater frequency from chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Funding for prevention efforts and intense Hope for Urban America • January 2009 3

monitoring of these conditions should be a major policy agenda for the Department of Health & Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mental health is another pressing issue that is o�en ignored but warrants a higher level of intervention and investment. A recent USA Today poll indicated that the number of work days lost per year for mental illness and depression far exceeded all other illnesses, including cancer, respiratory disorders and migraines. Investments must also be made in health information technology to encourage and support automation in delivering health-care services, following up with patients, and maintaining accurate records. Finally, raising awareness of health concerns and promoting lifestyle changes are proven strategies that HHS can invest in to reduce behaviors that exacerbate health disparities.

8. Ex-Offender Populations

Too many minorities, particularly African-American males, are unable to find gainful employment because of felony convictions. Although African-Americans make up less than 12% of the population in Ohio, they account for more than 50% of inmates. In Ohio, nearly 30 times more black males were sentenced to prison for drug offenses than white males. Such sentencing disparities are found in states throughout the country. In addition to investigating these discrepancies, the federal government should explore ways to help exoffenders access work. The Department of Justice, working with HUD and the Department of Labor, should establish policies that assist ex-offenders in ge�ing the training and support they need to build businesses and careers. Proper case management of this population is of critical importance, particularly among exoffenders with major physical and mental health concerns. Funds should be redirected from state and federal prison budgets to support Alternative to Prison (ATP) and other innovative initiatives so that the burden of supporting these citizens does not eventually fall back on taxpayers. Federal and state governments should also consider establishing departments or divisions that focus on the particular needs of the ex-offender population. Government agencies in Philadelphia and Ohio’s Cuyahoga County have demonstrated success in addressing the myriad legal, housing, workforce and health-care issues concurrently, giving ex-offenders a solid start on a new way of life.

9. Youth Development

Youth are the key to America’s future. They will be responsible for the new ideas to keep the nation globally competitive and environmentally sound. The nation’s prosperity depends on whether its young people are equipped with the necessary skills and values. Ensuring that urban youth are able to engage in economic opportunities is an imperative, not only for individual cities but for the well-being of the nation as a whole. For this reason, HHS should do more to support networks that provide wrap-around social services in urban communities and offer greater aid for mentoring and tutoring programs. Among African-American youth, 70% are being raised in single-parent households. This population in particular needs greater support in avoiding the “life traps” of dropping out of school, having babies too early or ge�ing involved in crime. Expanded investments in federal programs such as Head Start and in nationwide agencies such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Boys and Girls Clubs should be a priority. However, HHS must be rigorous in evaluating which programs are effective and worthy of continued investment.

Conclusion

Public policy development and investment in these nine areas will greatly address the needs of the nation’s beleaguered cities and the people, particularly minorities, who inhabit them. The work of reinvigorating urban America will require a comprehensive, collaborative effort among wide-ranging federal and state departments. These policy recommendations should be seriously considered as key components of any national urban policy agenda put forth by the new Obama Administration. References USA Today; Human Rights Watch; PolicyBridge’s “The Rap on Culture” and “The Job Prescription” research reports; Dr. Thomas Boston, Georgia Tech. 4

January 2009 • Hope for Urban America

National Capacity Building Symposium Sponsors

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