What You Missed: Open for Questions on the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative

Yesterday, the White House Office of Urban Affairs hosted a live chat on the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative to support the transformation of distressed neighborhoods into neighborhoods of opportunity. Larkin Tackett, Department of Education; Luke Tate, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Thomas Abt, Department of Justice; and Richard Frank, Department of Health and Human Services; joined Derek Douglas, White House Domestic Policy Council, to discuss one of the Obama Administration’s signature place-based initiatives to support and revitalize distressed communities.

Here are a few highlights from the discussion:

“We truly believe we need a great school at the center of every great neighborhood,” said Larkin Tackett, Director of Promise Neighborhoods, Department of Education.

“This collaboration is very important. . . public safety is a critical component of neighborhood revitalization. . .without it, kids can’t learn, residents can’t feel safe in their own neighborhoods, and resident health is threatened by drugs and violence,” said Thomas Abt, Chief of Staff, Office of Justice Programs, DOJ.
 
“Community resources are critical to how people live their lives,” said Richard Frank, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, HHS.

“Choice Neighborhoods broadens our focus...beyond the walls of the development itself to the entire neighborhood,” said Luke Tate, Special Assistant to the Secretary, HUD.

Watch the video of the chat and use the links below to skip directly to questions (questions are paraphrased):

• What other programs, beyond the Promise Neighborhoods Program, are part of White House’s Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative? What metrics are you using to assess success of the Initiative
• What lessons can be learned by previous failed attempts at "urban renewal" & to what extent can Promise Neighborhoods repair damage & avoid pitfalls?
• How will this new initiative translate housing dollars into neighborhood-wide outcomes?
• Beyond funding matches and leverage, what is the role of philanthropy in this Neighborhood Revitalization strategy?
• How is the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative not throwing dollars at the problem?
• How does the Harlem Children’s Zone model which is based on a long-term connection with a neighborhood, apply to communities that need to see short term results. How will this initiative balance short-term and long-term programs and goals?
• How do we build capacity at the local and regional level to combat the social challenges that the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative attempts to address?
• How can small amounts of grant money, or a seed grant of $500,000 leading to fundamental change in the fabric of American society spur fundamental change?
• If a Promise Neighborhood applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements for the Promise Neighborhood planning grant, will the next stage of funding be re-opened for additional applicants?
• When you revitalize communities what impact does that have on the existing residents in those communities. How does the Neighborhood Revitalization initiative plan to balance the inevitable rise in rents and property values with the financial means of existing residents?
• How are the White House Office of Urban Affairs, the Domestic Policy Council, and the Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships participating in the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative?
• How do NRI programs ensure that resources go to the community?
• Will the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative engage subject-matter experts that can contribute to successful outcomes?
• What is the priority structure for cities that have some of the most challenging metrics, and zip codes that suffer from severe economic distress?