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2006, ISSUE 1 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Assessing the Aftermath A s Community Affairs staff have read reports on the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, visited Eleventh Federal Reserve District towns and cities, and interviewed evacuees and representatives of community organizations, we have learned there is no single story to tell. Both old and new residents of the District have an endless stream of experiences to share. On the one hand, Katrina evacuees have increased pressure on housing and education, health care and other public-service sectors. On the other hand, they have produced an inflow of consumer dollars, boosted residential and commercial occupancy rates, expanded the workforce and created new businesses. Hurricane Rita crippled the Southeast Texas cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange. Millions of people, including half the Houston-area population, fled their homes in anticipation of the storm. This issue of Perspectives assesses the hurricanes’ aftermath here in the Eleventh District. In addition to the physical destruction, Katrina and Rita exposed the harsh realities of poverty. The storms were especially cruel to those just getting by financially. The plight of residents who lacked the means to escape was conveyed all too painfully by the television images that captured their nightmare. The story continues as communities rebuild. Outcomes, hopes and promises are still pending. And the new hurricane season is upon us. Alfreda B. Norman Assistant Vice President and The Beaumont Enterprise Community Affairs Officer 2 perspectives Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Assessing the Aftermath The 2005 hurricane season tested infrastructure needs. The money is being seeks funds to cover future costs, includ- the mettle of many Eleventh District divided among four regional planning ing $338 million for a second year of communities. In late August, the agencies: the South East Texas Regional educational funding for a projected threat—then the reality—of Hurricane Planning Commission, the Deep East 38,000 students displaced by the storm. Katrina sent Southeast Louisiana resi- Texas Council of Governments, the East dents to cities and towns out of the Texas Council of Governments and the storm’s path, many of them in the Dis- Houston–Galveston Area Council. trict. Less than a month later, on Sept. Gov. Rick Perry has requested Southeast Texas: A Snapshot The South East Texas Regional Plan- 24, Hurricane Rita slammed ashore near approximately $2 billion in federal aid ning Commission (SETRPC) represents Sabine Pass, Texas, carrying winds of for Texas, including about $500 million Jefferson, Orange and Hardin counties, over 120 mph and a 15-foot storm surge. for critical infrastructure, $320 million home to five school districts and a popu- for housing repairs, $150 million for agri- lation of 385,000. Port Arthur, Beaumont how many people fled Hurricane Katrina culture, $125 million for social services, and Orange are the major cities in the to the Eleventh District, but the Texas $115 million for workforce training and region. According to the commission, 55 governor’s office estimates that the state related services, $59 million for naviga- percent of the damage in Texas’ 22- has hosted more than 400,000 Katrina tion and waterway repairs, and $19 mil- county disaster area was in the SETRPC evacuees. The Federal Emergency Man- lion for public safety. region. No exact numbers are available on agement Agency (FEMA) estimates that Included in the request is reimburse- The hurricane virtually wiped out it received 1 million Katrina-relief appli- ment for costs already incurred for Kat- Sabine Pass—where the storm made cations from Louisiana, 640,000 from rina evacuees, including $75 million for landfall—destroying 170 of its 190 Texas and 1,200 from New Mexico. health care services. The request also homes. In the three-county region, 18,000 Three of the top 10 cities from which applications came are in the District: Houston (304,200), Beaumont (111,000) and Dallas (59,600). Six months after Hurricane Rita made landfall, FEMA was still operating five recovery centers and had temporarily protected 21,000 Texas homes with plastic sheeting through its Blue Roof program. The agency had inspected over 340,000 homes in the state to determine their eligibility for aid, delivered $4.6 million in disaster unemployment benefits to residents and approved $500 million in housing assistance to almost 225,000 applicants. The Department of Housing and The Beaumont Enterprise Urban Development (HUD) announced in May that the 29 Texas counties affected by Rita will receive more than $70 million in Community Development Block Grant funds to meet housing and Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas perspectives 3 deal with. Contractors occupy many of Residential Real Estate Damage in Southeast Texas the area hotel rooms that might otherwise be available for evacuees. Those who repair their houses while their neighbors abandon or fail to fix theirs Jefferson County $286,759,200 $27,809,600 $114,301,200 $2,667,600 Total other government entities. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ (TDHCA) Hardin County 13,245 homes 150 rental units smaller tax base that results means lower revenues for school districts and Orange County 21,981 homes 513 rental units face devaluation of their property. The $68,874,000 $780,000 $501,191,600 HOME Program has allocated $2 million The Beaumont Enterprise 55,146 homes 5,348 rental units each to Jefferson, Orange and Hardin counties for rehabilitating owner-occupied housing for households at or below NOTE: Data are estimates for December 2005. 80 percent of median income, and SOURCE: South East Texas Regional Planning Commission. almost $3 million to nine other counties in East and Southeast Texas. TDHCA has distributed $3.5 million in Low- homes had little or no insurance. FEMA Income Housing Tax Credits for multi- can reimburse up to $5,200 per house- family units. hold to repair uninsured damage and up A HUD–HOME–Orange County con- to $10,500 for replacing a primary resi- sortium has approximately $1.2 million dence that was destroyed. Because most in rehab funds and down-payment assis- of the houses need $15,000 to $30,000 in tance available through its regular repairs, the money will not be nearly HOME allocation. Southeast Texas will enough to help homeowners rebuild. receive more than half the $70 millionplus in Community Development Block Housing Grant funds allocated for Texas disaster The SETRPC sees a housing shortage as the biggest issue the region must assistance. Jefferson County Judge Carl Griffith Jr. says his office continues to receive calls daily from disabled, elderly and other individuals unable to repair their homes. In a single month, his office received more than 4,000 calls for assistance. In a letter to HUD, Griffith wrote: “One disabled gentleman informed me that he and his wife are confined to living in their garage because they cannot afford to repair their mold-infested home. An 82-year-old gentleman lost all of his furniture and personal belongings when his home was damaged to the point of condemnation.… A single mother lost the family home when a tree fell across the bedrooms and the kitchen…. She has been suffering from high blood pressure and hypertension for the past few months. Her nine-yearold son has not been able to focus and is despondent, and he is now failing school.” Griffith explains that his county’s resources are stretched especially thin because after Katrina hit, the county sheltered more than 27,000 evacuees and provided them with social services. The Beaumont Enterprise The Economy The SETRPC reports that Hurricane Rita damaged or destroyed about half of 4 perspectives Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas East Texas’ marketable timber, which is completed. Other factors are also at used for building materials, cardboard play. Many applicants haven’t returned while waiting for SBA and insurance and plywood products. The Deep East closing documents. They are waiting to money, the Greater Beaumont Chamber Texas Council of Governments is compil- see if other homeowners and businesses of Commerce is managing SB Alliance ing data on the long-term impact of the are returning to their neighborhoods, Capital, a regional organization that has $800 million loss to the region’s No. 1 what new building code requirements had $1.2 million to use for bridge loans industry, but Executive Director Walter will be imposed, how big their insurance of up to $15,000 each. The one-year, zero Diggles says a diversifying economy is settlements will be and when the money interest rate loans are available in six cushioning the impact. The industry real- will arrive. They’re also trying to decide counties—three in Southeast and three ized years ago it was harvesting and if they want to take on more debt. in Deep East Texas. To help small businesses stay afloat clear-cutting faster than trees could regrow, he explains. In response, many lumber companies have sold off property to developers and other investors. While the economy has lost timber-related jobs, the region has been working to attract tourism and retirees to its lake areas. Clearly, Hurricane Rita has made this diversification more critical. Thousands of jobs will be created in the Port Arthur area in the near future as a result of $10 billion in refinery expansions and new liquefied natural gas facilities. While the influx of consumer dollars will benefit the economy, the increased demand for housing is pressuring a market already stretched thin. Tremendous building is going on to meet this need, says Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce President Jim Rich. “Tax credit projects are in the works, damaged homes are being refurbished, and three or four hotels are going up.” Small businesses face their own challenges. According to the SETRPC, six months after Hurricane Rita hit, an estimated 35 percent of small businesses remained closed and the Small Business Administration (SBA) was still inundated with applications. In a typical year, the agency approves about $1 billion in disaster loans. The SBA reports that from September 2005 to April 2006, it The Beaumont Enterprise approved a total of $7.5 billion in such loans for businesses and residents affected by Katrina and Rita. The SBA had disbursed only about $690 million of the $7.5 billion, in part because money is distributed as work is Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas perspectives 5 Social Services Hurricane Rita destroyed more than $1.4 million of nonprofit organizations’ vehicles, buildings, computers and other assets in Southeast Texas. Despite this blow, most of the region’s recovery funds have come from faith-based and other community groups. These include Lutheran and Mormon churches, Catholic Charities, Christian Aid Ministries, Nehemiah’s Vision, Rebuilding Together Southeast Texas, the Southeast Texas Interfaith Group and the United Methodist Committee on Recovery. In his February state of the region address, SETRPC Executive Director Chester Jourdan said Southeast Texas’ future steps toward recovery include the continued participation of faith-based organizations, regional unity, and lobbying for aid at the state and national levels. He concluded that, as the saying goes, “If not us, who? If not now, when?” Northern Louisiana: A Snapshot Data on the number of Hurricane in every parish. Deborah Tootle, associ- zation. To address the need for afford- ate professor in the Agricultural Eco- able housing, community development nomics and Agribusiness Department, is corporations and housing organizations the AgCenter’s program leader for com- are obtaining property from the city of munity and rural development. Shreveport, usually by donation or by Tootle is working with FEMA teams to help communities create community development plans. She is also seeking purchasing it at nominal cost or market value. Another scenario involves the adju- additional help from universities and dication process, in which an entity state agencies with educational program- pays a parish to ask delinquent property ming on safe growth, a model that com- owners if they will catch up on their bines the principles of hazard mitigation three or more years of back taxes. If and smart growth. (See the box on page they decide not to, the court declares 9.) What she’s found is that because peo- the property “adjudicated,” and the title ple still need so much help meeting is cleared. The nonprofit has the prop- immediate housing needs, it is difficult erty appraised and then pays the city for them to think long term. market value for it. Housing A Silver Lining Tootle identifies the lack of safe, When asked if he had any positive affordable housing as one of the biggest news to share, Greater Shreveport problems facing Louisiana’s coastal Chamber of Commerce Vice President parishes. Jim Mabus noted that Hollywood has “Hurricane season has started, and shifted much of its New Orleans TV and people are still living in temporary quar- movie production to the Shreveport ters. Many people from the coastal area. The city’s similar architecture is parishes are still living in communities in attracting producers, who are taking northern Louisiana. A significant amount advantage of state tax credits. Katrina evacuees in northern Louisiana of debris has not been picked up, which are incomplete. Social service providers causes more concern for safety, and a lot the Governor’s Office of Film & Televi- report that many evacuees had low-pay- of marshland was destroyed. It is possi- sion Development, says the impact of ing service jobs in New Orleans, working ble that the impact of a hurricane could these movies will be significant because in such places as hotels and restaurants. be worse this hurricane season.” about a third of the production budgets, Alex Schott, executive director of They have often been unable to find jobs Kevin Williams, regional community in new locations, and because of limited development manager of AmSouth Bank, will be spent in the local economy for incomes, they had little or nothing saved reports that Shreveport is experiencing labor, housing, food, transportation and and depended on families and friends for an affordable-housing crisis because sky- other services. Schott thinks Shreveport support. rocketing demand has increased home and neighboring Bossier City could Many evacuees have not reestab- which run $5 million to $20 million-plus, prices. Before Katrina, an affordable become increasingly important to lished their lives but are in a holding pat- house ran about $80,000. Now that same Louisiana’s film industry because they tern as their social network remains home could cost from $110,000 to are close to Dallas, a major source of scattered. They struggle to find living- $120,000. Tight supplies combined with film equipment, and have housing avail- wage jobs and transportation to them the diversion of labor to disaster areas able for production staff. and wait for rebuilding efforts to have driven up construction costs. progress. The hurricane has not only made Community Development Louisiana State University AgCenter home ownership more expensive but put rents out of the reach of many, says William Baker, executive director of in Baton Rouge promotes community Shreveport Urban Renaissance Corp., a development through its branch offices community development housing organi- 6 perspectives Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Poverty and Disasters Hurricanes Katrina and Rita postal service disrupted and alternative Some consider this number artificially exposed the debilitating realities of financial service providers closed, they low. Using the Census Bureau’s calcula- poverty in America, communities’ lack of were left with no financial tools. Evac- tor, single parents with two dependents crisis preparedness, and how these fac- uees who had bank or credit union under 18 are poor if their annual income tors can exacerbate each other. accounts, on the other hand, had regula- is under $15,219, regardless of where tors working to ensure they could get to they live.3 Ideally, everyone who needed to evacuate would have been able to and would have had access to funds, family their money.2 Others argue that the poverty rates Because unbanked and under- often cited are inflated because some and friends to help them flee and meet banked evacuees were often lifelong people counted have access to modern short- and long-term food, housing and New Orleans residents whose immediate conveniences—such as televisions, cell other needs. families and friends lived nearby, many phones, and other goods and services— had no outside social network to tap for their predecessors, and the poor in other case. A joint Washington Post/Kaiser transportation, housing and other neces- countries, did not. Some experts believe Family Foundation/Harvard University sities. Financially and socially discon- survey of Katrina evacuees at the Hous- nected from resources, their only option ton Astrodome reports that 74 percent was to sit, wait and hope for the best. As was starkly seen, this was not the had a pretax income of less than $30,000. Moreover, almost two-thirds were unbanked, and 72 percent did not have a credit card.1 Poverty The hurricanes not only revealed crippling poverty but also raised anew Without bank or credit union questions about its extent. According to accounts, evacuees could not receive the Census Bureau, an estimated 37 mil- their paychecks and benefits via direct lion Americans—approximately 13 per- deposit. And with their mailboxes gone, cent of the population—live in poverty. Lessons Learned Some of the same principles used in the field of international humanitarian aid and reconstruction can be applied to domestic situations. Kimberly Maynard, author of Healing Communities in Conflict: International Assistance in Complex Emergencies, sets out several strategies for organizations operating in postdisaster areas, including do no harm, take a holistic approach and develop an exit strategy. Among the common problems that occur are long-term dependency on assistance and—in the absence of anticorruption mechanisms—manipulation and theft that prevent funds from reaching target communities. Possible solutions to these problems would be: • Using and building on local resources so that benefits grow and stay in the community. • Coordinating and collaborating among groups with expertise in economics, education, the environment, housing, social justice, violence prevention, workforce development and other fields so they can monitor progress and retool strategies as needed. The Beaumont Enterprise • Creating an exit strategy. Although a specific date cannot be set, Maynard says aid organizations can regularly review their progress toward “sustainability with regard to peace, economics, social rehabilitation and reconstruction.” Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas perspectives 7 a realistic definition of poverty is the further. If they cannot or do not obtain in the central city and increasing in the lack of disposable income to purchase mainstream financial products and serv- inner ring of older suburbs exists across the goods and services a society deems ices or information about their asset- the nation, in such cities as Dallas, it unacceptable to live without—a defini- building features, they are likely to use Chicago and Cleveland.5 tion that transcends time and place. check cashers, payday lenders, rent-to- Poverty in HurricaneAffected Areas One reason poverty persists, partic- own stores and other alternatives. These ularly when concentrated, is because it’s providers’ products can strain residents’ self-perpetuating. It repels and decreases already scant finances. Routinely high investment in communities and reduces fees and interest rates may reduce cus- impoverished neighborhoods are espe- jobs, competitively priced goods, and tomers’ ability or incentive to save, lead cially vulnerable to natural and man- money for schools and other public serv- them into a cycle of debt and erode their made disasters because they often lack ices. As a result, educational quality goes access to mainstream credit. Altogether, the resources to flee and reestablish down, making it harder for the next gen- these financial, economic and social their lives. According to the Census eration to get ahead. stressors exert pressure not only on the Bureau’s 2004 American Community Sur- pocketbooks of low- and moderate- vey, Texas and Louisiana poverty rates Hertz explains: “A child whose parents income households, but also on their are higher than the national average. are in the bottom fifth of the income dis- mental and physical health. Texas has a 16.6 percent rate; Louisiana, American University economist Tom Individuals and families living in tribution has only a six percent chance In the 1990s, a robust economy, 19.4 percent; and the U.S., 13.1 percent. of attaining an average yearly income in HUD’s HOPE VI program, housing choice Because the bureau’s poverty statistics the top fifth. Most people who start out vouchers, the Earned Income Tax Credit reflect only the poorest of the poor, its and other factors helped reduce concen- numbers do not include the millions of trated poverty. Paul Jargowksy, associate other households that qualify for govern- ment reduces competition in the local professor of political economy at the ment assistance for utility bills, food and marketplace, raising the cost of gro- University of Texas at Dallas, points out housing.6 ceries, clothing and other goods, forcing that despite this encouraging trend, the residents to stretch their limited dollars bull’s-eye pattern of poverty decreasing relatively poor stay relatively poor.” 4 At the same time, the lack of invest- The table below shows poverty levels in Eleventh District communities Pockets of Poverty in Hurricane-Affected Areas in the Eleventh District County/Parish Principal city/cities Total Population Poverty Population 3,400,578 510,087 15 1,954,848 375,331 19.2 Dallas 2,218,899 297,332 13.4 Dallas 1,188,204 211,500 17.8 1,446,219 153,299 10.6 Harris Houston DALLAS COUNTY 297,332 TARRANT COUNTY 153,299 Louisiana Tarrant Fort Worth CADDO PARISH 53,206 OUACHITA PARISH 30,481 Texas HARDIN COUNTY 5,384 535,420 85,132 15.9 1,392,931 221,476 15.9 San Antonio 1,144,554 198,008 17.3 Travis 812,280 101,535 12.5 Austin 656,302 94,507 14.4 21.1 Bexar Caddo, La. TRAVIS COUNTY 101,535 ORANGE COUNTY 11,725 252,161 53,206 Shreveport 200,549 45,725 22.8 Jefferson 252,051 43,857 17.4 Beaumont/Port Arthur 171,644 36,877 21.5 147,250 30,481 20.7 Monroe 53,091 17,148 32.3 Orange 84,966 11,725 13.8 Orange 18,529 4,243 22.9 Hardin 48,073 5,384 11.2 8,833 618 Ouachita, La. HARRIS COUNTY 510,087 BEXAR COUNTY 221,476 JEFFERSON COUNTY 43,857 Gulf of Mexico Lumberton SOURCE: Census Bureau. Data are for 2000. 8 perspectives Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Poverty Rate (percent) 7 affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. important amenities such as grocery These figures highlight the large number stores and parks. of households particularly vulnerable to The 10 Principles of Smart Growth Undergirding this vision is metro- life’s full spectrum of storms: from acci- politan connectedness—the interde- dents, illnesses and job losses, to fires, pendence of communities within an tornadoes and hurricanes. area. Proponents of regional equity believe that regional prosperity Rebuilding: Envisioning a Plan Amid the devastation the hurricanes wreaked is the rare chance to contem- depends on full economic inclusion tune time to further the regional-equity 4. Create walkable neighborhoods. achieving it.7 5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place. Housing In the regional-equity model, communities offer housing that attracts researchers, policymakers, funders, com- people from different income levels. munity and economic developers, social Zoning regulations such as density, and economic justice activists, and large lot size, minimum square footage, smart-growth proponents. setbacks and other requirements can tan areas in which individuals and families from all communities participate in 3. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices. other public investments are key to movement, which brings together Their shared vision is of metropoli- 2. Take advantage of compact building design. and that housing, transportation and plate strategies for building healthier communities. Many see this as an oppor- 1. Mix land uses. inhibit making affordable housing part 6. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical-environment areas. 7. Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities. 8. Provide a variety of transportation choices. 9. Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost-effective. of the mix. These zoning roadblocks can be and benefit from the area’s economic dismantled with such tools as the Com- growth and activity. With regional equity, munity Development Block Grant pro- all neighborhoods are communities of gram, community land trusts, fair-share opportunity, in which residents have housing agreements, the HOPE VI pro- access to living-wage jobs, high-perform- gram, local and state housing bonds ing schools, diverse housing choices, and trust funds, low-income housing convenient public transportation, and tax credits and zoning overlays. 10. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration. SOURCE: Smart Growth Network, www.smartgrowth.org. Inclusionary zoning requires developers to build a percentage of units affordable for low- and moderate-income people. In return, developers receive such benefits as density bonuses, development fee waivers and expedited permits. Transportation Good transportation is considered essential to attaining regional equity because it connects disparate communities to living-wage jobs, strong educational facilities, social networks and other resources. Spending public transportation funds on transit systems and promoting transit-oriented development in lowincome neighborhoods are ways cities The Beaumont Enterprise can achieve this goal. And developing market activity around transit stations can jump-start or revitalize dormant commercial areas. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas perspectives 9 sidized with incentives such as tax cred- cies so that construction funds are now its—should generate quality jobs, hous- allocated based on need. ing, child and health care, and other benefits to low-income communities. To achieve this, community groups negoti- Next Steps Affordable, high-quality housing, ate agreements with developers, offering access to transportation and thoughtful support for their large projects in return public investments contribute to healthy, for local hiring, job training, living livable and attractive communities. wages, and financing for affordable Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution housing, parks and recreation facilities. says these “neighborhoods of choice and Distributing public dollars so that connection,” as he calls them, are attain- urban schools receive the money needed able if community stakeholders share a to provide quality education is seen as common vision based on the following an important strategy for achieving framework. regional equity. Education reforms in California, First, neighborhood goals align with local, state and/or national policies. Sec- Maryland and Ohio exemplify this push. ond, neighborhoods encourage demo- For example, in 1997 the Ohio Supreme graphic and economic diversity. Third, Court found the state’s school system public and private efforts are integrated. unconstitutional because it failed to pro- Fourth, local entities are accountable to believes big-box retailers, entertainment vide “thorough and efficient” education, stakeholders through clearly defined, and sports arenas, and office parks— largely because of dilapidated facilities. consistently tracked performance meas- whose development can be publicly sub- The state responded by changing its poli- ures. Other Public Investments The community-benefits movement 10 perspectives Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Sustainable, dependable and pre- PolicyLink, a national nonprofit ping, housing trust funds, inclusionary dictable policies are also critical, Katz headquartered in Oakland, Calif., has zoning, infill incentives and minority says. “National policymakers [must] tem- developed the Equitable Development contracting. per the urge to constantly invent and Toolkit to help local, state and national reinvent programs and policies based on entities interested in building strong, sus- Glover Blackwell and senior associate the flavor of the month” because it tainable neighborhoods of choice and Radhika Fox believe that coupled with forces community development practi- connection. This resource covers topics regional-equity values and policies, these tioners “to constantly learn new pro- ranging from the redevelopment of tools “can chart an equitable course for grams, chase grants, and manipulate new brownfields to commercial linkage regional development and investment, performance measures rather than focus strategies, commercial stabilization, helping to build a nation of inclusion and on long-term sustainable change.”8 community land trusts, community map- broad opportunities.”9 Housing and Urban Development’s Policy Development es/urban/publications/jargowskypoverty.pdf. and Research Information Service at 6 For more information, see www.dataplace.org. “Regional Equity and Smart Growth: Opportunities PolicyLink founder and CEO Angela Notes 1 “Survey of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees,” September 2005, www.kff.org/newsmedia/upload/7401.pdf. www.huduser.org/datasets/il/il05/index.html. 7 Financial Safety Nets in the Aftermath of Katrina?” by 4 for Advancing Social and Economic Justice in Amer- Julia S. Cheney and Sherrie L. W. Rhine, January Cassidy, The New Yorker, April 3, 2006. ica,” by Angela Glover Blackwell and Radhika K. 2006,www.phil.frb.org/pcc/HurricaneKatrinaJan06.pdf. 5 Fox, 2004, PolicyLink, www.policylink.org/pdfs/ 3 2 For more information, see “How Effective Were the “Relatively Deprived: How Poor Is Poor?” by John “Katrina’s Window: Confronting Concentrated Poverty Across America,” by Alan Berube and Bruce Katz, The TranslationPaper.pdf. learn how the Census Bureau calculates the poverty Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, 8 level, go to www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/ October 2005, www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/ Evolution of American Neighborhood Policy and povdef.html. For highlights on poverty statistics, go 20051012_Concentratedpoverty.pdf, and “Stunning What It Means for the United Kingdom,” by Bruce to www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty04/ Progress, Hidden Problems: The Dramatic Decline of Katz, The Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy pov04hi.html. For what constitutes very low income, Concentrated Poverty in the 1990s,” by Paul A. Jar- Program, July 2004, www.brookings.edu/metro/ low income and 30 percent of median income for met- gowsky, The Brookings Institution Center on Urban and pubs/20040713_katz.htm. Metropolitan Policy, May 2003, www.brookings.edu/ 9 These are 2004 data, the most recent available. To ropolitan statistical areas, go to the Department of “Neighborhoods of Choice and Connection: The See note 7. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas perspectives 11 POLICY FORUM•July 12, 2006 Presented by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas This policy forum aims to raise awareness and stimulate meaningful dialogue about concentrated poverty in our region. Two prominent experts in the field, Paul A. Jargowsky and Marcus Martin, will share their insights, identify opportunities for investment and partnerships, and discuss relevant public policy. Jargowsky is associate professor of political economy at the University of Texas at Dallas and author of the award-winning book Poverty and Place: Ghettos, Barrios, and the American City. Martin is director of the J. McDonald Williams Institute, the research arm of the Foundation for Community Empowerment, where he leads efforts in Dallas to measure and reduce disparities in economic opportunity. For more information and to register, go to: www.dallasfed.org. perspectives Concentrated POVER TY When: What, Where and Why Where: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas 2200 N. Pearl St. at Woodall Rodgers Dallas, Texas Who Should Attend: Bankers, academics, policymakers, and community and economic development professionals really the “Poverty is dom to have lack of free sic things or to do ba e.” that you valu Sen, —Amartya mics te in Econo a re u a L l e Nob Cost is $25. Seats are limited. Please register by Thursday, July 6. Complimentary parking is available at the northeast corner of Pearl Street and Thomas Avenue. www.dallasfed.org 2006, Issue 1 Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Community Affairs Office P.O. Box 655906 Dallas, TX 75265-5906 Alfreda B. Norman Assistant Vice President and Community Affairs Officer alfreda.norman@dal.frb.org Gloria Vasquez Brown Vice President, Public Affairs gloria.v.brown@dal.frb.org Wenhua Di Economist wenhua.di@dal.frb.org Wednesday, July 12 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (includes lunch) Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. Julie Gunter Sr. Community Affairs Advisor julie.gunter@dal.frb.org Roy Lopez Community Affairs Specialist roy.lopez@dal.frb.org Jackie Hoyer Houston Branch, Sr. Community Affairs Advisor jackie.hoyer@dal.frb.org Elizabeth Sobel Community Affairs Specialist elizabeth.sobel@dal.frb.org Editor: Monica Reeves Designer: Darcy Melton Issue Editor: Elizabeth Sobel June 2006 The views expressed are the authors’ and should not be attributed to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System. Articles may be reprinted if the source is credited and a copy is provided to the Community Affairs Office.
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