Economic
Opportunity
The first priority in revitalizing distressed communities is to
create economic opportunities- jobs and work- for all residents.
The creation of jobs, both within the community and throughout the
region, provides the foundation on which residents will become economically
self-sufficient and communities can revitalize themselves. Opportunities
for entrepreneurial initiatives, small business expansion, and training
for jobs that offer upward mobility are other key elements for providing
economic opportunity and direction.
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Sustainable
Community Development
The creation of jobs is the first critical step toward the creation
of a livable and vibrant community where human initiative, work,
and stable families can flourish. However, economic development
can only be successful when it is part of a coordinated and comprehensive
strategy that includes physical development as well as human development.
A community where streets are safe to walk, the air and water are
clean, housing is secure, and human services are accessible, and
where a vital civic spirit is nurtured by innovative design, is
a community that can be a source of strength and hope to its residents.
A community where learning is a commitment for life can foster the
skills, habits of mind, and attitudes that will make work rewarding
and families nurturing.
The EZ/EC Program seeks to empower communities by supporting local
plans that coordinate economic, physical, environmental, community,
and human development.
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Community-Based
Partnerships
The road to economic opportunity and community development starts
with broad participation by all segments of the community. The residents
themselves, however, are the most important elements of revitalization.
Others may include the political and governmental leadership, community
groups, health and social service groups, environmental groups,
religious organizations, the private and non-profit sectors, centers
of learning, and other community institutions.
Communities cannot succeed with public resources alone. Private
and non-profit support and involvements are critical to the success
of a community seeking revitalization. Partners also must be created
within and among the levels of government. Government departments
and agencies on all levels must work together to ensure that relevant
programs and resources can be used in a coordinated, flexible, and
timely fashion to help implement the community's strategic plan
and that regulatory and other barriers to sustainable growth are
removed.
Through the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community process,
the Federal government offers a compact with communities and State
and local governments: if you plan comprehensively and strategically
for real change, if the community designs and drives the course,
we, the Federal government, will waive burdensome regulations whenever
possible, and work with you to make our programs responsive to your
plan.
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Strategic
Vision for Change
A bold and innovative vision for change describes what the community
wants to become -- for example, the community may envision itself
as a center for emerging technologies with links to a nearby university
or community college; a key export center for certain farm products,
customized manufacturing goods, or health and other human services;
or a vibrant residential area focused around an active local school,
with access to jobs, retail markets, recreation, and entertainment.
The vision for change is a comprehensive strategic map for revitalization.
It is a means to analyze the full local context and the linkages
to the larger region. It builds on the community's assets and coordinates
its response to its needs -- such as public safety, human and social
services, and environmental protection. It integrates economic,
physical, environmental, community, and human development in a comprehensive
and coordinated fashion so that families and communities can work
together and thrive. A strategic plan also sets real goals and performance
benchmarks for measuring progress and establishes a framework for
assessing how new experience and knowledge can be incorporated on
an on-going basis into a successful plan for revitalization.
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