Obama Administration Launches Second Promise Zone Competition to Create Economic Opportunity in High-Poverty Communities

Today, the Administration is launching the competition to designate the next round of Promise Zones, part of the President’s plan to create a new pathway to the middle class by partnering with local communities and businesses to create jobs, increase economic security, improve educational opportunities, and reduce violent crime. In January of this year, President Obama announced the first five Promise Zones selected by an interagency panel led by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The work being done in these communities is already helping to move the needle in key areas. For example, graduation rates have reached almost 90 percent in the San Antonio Promise Zone; 2,000 kids in Los Angeles were able to find a summer job through a youth employment initiative; 900 unemployed people in Southeastern Kentucky have been connected to a job; and over 700 households and 50 businesses in remote southeast Oklahoma will soon have access to clean, safe drinking water for the first time.

Today’s announcement of a new Promise Zone competition will help bring similar success to high-poverty communities across the country. Urban, rural, and tribal communities nationwide will be invited to put forward a plan to partner with local business and community leaders to make evidence-based investments that reward hard work and expand opportunity.  In exchange, these designees will receive preferred access to certain competitive federal investments that further their strategic plans, federal staff on the ground to help them implement their goals, and five full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members to recruit and manage volunteers to strengthen the capacity of Promise Zone partners. Promise Zones focus on helping communities work together and partner with the federal government to meet their goals.

Our economy is experiencing a comeback, with businesses adding 10 million new jobs over the past 54 months-- the longest stretch of private-sector job growth in our nation’s history.  Home prices are showing consistent upward growth, bringing 4 million households out of negative equity in 2013 alone, and the number of seriously delinquent mortgages is at the lowest level since 2008. In addition, over the past year, we’ve seen the largest one-year drop in child poverty since 1966.  Promise Zones are part of the President’s effort to ensure that all communities continue to share in our economic growth and that all Americans have the opportunity for their hard work to lead to economic success.

Any community meeting the qualifying criteria can apply for a designation, regardless of whether it has a previous federal grant.  HUD and USDA intend to name at least eight Promise Zones in this round, including urban, rural, and tribal communities.  The deadline for submitting Promise Zone applications is November 21, 2014.  Applications must be submitted via www.Max.gov.  More information about the Promise Zone initiative and how to apply is available at: www.hud.gov/promisezones.

THE PROMISE ZONES INITIATIVE

In 2009, after a generation of sometimes counterproductive and often contradictory federal engagement that was creating obstacles to greater shared prosperity, local communities across the country demanded a more effective and responsive federal government partner to create new pathways to the middle class. To meet this demand, the Obama Administration adopted a variety of unprecedented place-based efforts to promote economic opportunity and accelerate economic growth by explicitly connecting key federal programs that support such growth, such as education, housing, economic development, and infrastructure, with locally-devised strategies for broadly shared regional growth.

This work generated significant economic benefits to communities that have previously suffered from disinvestment, chronic economic distress, and – more recently – areas that continue to struggle even as the economy recovers and unemployment falls.

The unique partnerships formed through Promise Zones build on the Obama Administration’s acclaimed neighborhood revitalization approach, which has been recognized by the Kennedy School of Government as an “Innovation in Government.”  The hallmark of this approach is interagency partnership at the federal level to support locally-driven economic development goals and strategies with:

o   Accountability for Clear Goals: Each Promise Zone is pursuing strategies that have been shown to achieve results.  Each has identified clear outcomes it will pursue to revitalize the community, with a focus on creating jobs, increasing economic security, improving educational opportunities, and reducing violent crime.  All Promise Zones will continuously track those outcomes, and have committed to sharing data with community partners (private-sector, non-profits, federal, state, and local agencies, etc.) so that each partner can work towards improvement with accountability.  The Administration will work with the Promise Zones and third-party experts to track progress and evaluate results.

o   Intensive Federal Partnership: Modeled after the Administration’s successful Strong Cities Strong Communities and Strike Force for Rural Growth and Opportunity initiatives, which have created unique partnerships between local stakeholders and the federal government, Promise Zones benefit from intensive federal support at the local level to help them implement their economic and community development goals. 

o   Help Accessing Resources: Promise Zones will be provided preferred access to certain competitive federal programs under the rules of participating agencies and be able to access federal investments that further their strategic plans.

o   National Service:  Each Promise Zone will be provided five full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members to support its work.  These VISTAs will recruit and manage volunteers, and strengthen the capacity of Promise Zones to expand opportunity for all.

o   Investing in What Works: In order to be designated as Promise Zones, communities must demonstrate that they are pursuing strategies that have data proving their effectiveness or showing promising results.

o   Cutting Taxes for Businesses: President Obama has proposed, and called on Congress to enact, tax cuts on hiring and investment in areas designated as Promise Zones – based upon the proven model of Empowerment Zones tax credits – to attract businesses and create jobs.  Senator Bob Casey and Representative Gary Peters have both introduced legislation to enact these Promise Zone tax credits.

PROGRESS IN THE FIRST FIVE PROMISE ZONES

Earlier this year, the President announced partnerships with the first five Promise Zones, which are now implementing their plans to create jobs, increase economic security, improve educational opportunities, and reduce violent crime.  Signs of progress are visible in all five Zones.

San Antonio, TX (Eastside Neighborhood)

o   The San Antonio Independent School District established an Early College High School at St. Philip’s College, where students can earn college credits while in high school.   The District has also launched STEM education at the elementary schools, and is converting Wheatley Middle School to a Community School.  Finally, IDEA Carver public schools is expanding its charter school campus to a K-12 school.

o   Building on work done through a Department of Education Promise Neighborhoods grant prior to the Promise Zone designation, the percentage of children ready for kindergarten in the San Antonio Promise Zone is up by more than 20 percent, while the graduation rate at Sam Houston High School is up from 46 percent in 2009 to 86 percent this year.  Student enrollment and attendance have increased, while absenteeism is down.

o   The Promise Zone is attracting notable private investments – five major real estate investment projects are completed or underway, with over $100 million in private investment, including Alamo Brewery, Red Berry Mansion, and UIW Bowden Eye Care Center.  Real estate investment is also rising in the Zone.

o   The City of San Antonio is redeveloping Menger Creek, located just two blocks from the public housing development at the center of the Promise Zone, into a major linear park and waterway for the community.

o   The Promise Zone will continue to build upon transportation enhancements underway, including San Antonio’s development of a transit plaza connected to a rehabilitated historic train station.  VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority received a $15 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) award to develop the Westside Multimodal Transit Center.

Los Angeles, CA (Neighborhoods of Pico Union, Westlake, Koreatown, Hollywood, and East Hollywood)

o   The City of Los Angeles launched a youth employment initiative that provided 10,000 summer jobs for youth in 2014; 2,000 of those slots were set aside for Promise Zone youth.  Open to youth ages 14-24, the program provided paid work experience that helps participants build their resume, develop soft skills, and earn their first paycheck.

o   The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was awarded $7 million by the U.S. Department of Labor to build for career pathways at six high schools, two of which are in the Promise Zone. Students will benefit from specialized instruction linked to their school's industry pathway, while participating in work experiences, internships, and mentoring. Promise Zone schools are part of two new grants awarded to LAUSD for this linked approach to learning: the U.S. Department of Labor funding and a $15 million Career Pathways Trust grant from the California Department of Education.

o   Los Angeles is implementing a new grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help families learn the importance of health and wellness, increase physical activities, and make healthier choices. The program will operate at seven schools in the Promise Zone.

Philadelphia, PA (West Philadelphia)

o   The City of Philadelphia implemented an Entrepreneurship Consortium with LISC, EntrepreneurWorks, Women's Opportunity Resources Center, and the Enterprise Center in order to connect entrepreneurs with technical assistance, one-on-one financial counseling through the Financial Empowerment Centers, and financial products, all at no cost to the entrepreneur.  They are also building a vehicle to streamline the funding process for those starting small retail businesses.

o   A Drexel University-led collaborative is increasing the number of neighborhood children who have access to high quality child care, and improving performance in school.  This effort recently secured $1.8 million from the William Penn Foundation in support of this comprehensive approach; sessions with child care providers begin this fall.

o   Promise Zone partners, including LISC, People's Emergency Center, and Drexel University, are engaging community stakeholders to help plan and implement an Equitable Development Strategy to identify and promote redevelopment policies and practices that preserve affordability, protect long-time residents from displacement and enable the whole community to enjoy the benefits of revitalization.

Southeastern Kentucky (Kentucky Highlands)

• The Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation has held 16 listening sessions with residents across the area to identify ten achievement goals for the Promise Zone region.  These goals include: building a sustainable regional economy; collaborating to increase communications; enhancing education opportunities; ensuring access to critical health services; increasing access to affordable and energy efficient housing; expanding access to transportation; revitalizing downtowns; increasing recreation, arts and community engagement and expanding the pool of community leaders.   

• The Administration has invested over $23 million through USDA’s Rural Development Agency to ensure access to critical health services by increasing hospital capacity, expanding health care services and creating continued economic opportunity for health care workers in the region. 

o   To diversify the region’s economic base, the Department of Labor has invested over $11 million to Hire Our Miners Everyday (HOME) program.  This program helps former miners locate and land jobs allowing them to continue using their skills and support their families. As of June 2104, over 2,000 former miners have enrolled in the program, 640 have received extended education services or on the job training, and 900 have found new employment.

o   The Corporation for National Service has invested over $1 million to engage 52 full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members in building a sustainable regional economy in the greater eastern Kentucky region.

o   Community organizations worked together to develop the first farmers market-based summer food service feeding site in Kentucky, increasing access to healthy food.

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

• The Small Business Administration has invested nearly $2 million in business development in the Choctaw Nation and surrounding rural Oklahoma. 

• In partnership with the Economic Development Agency, the Department of Energy and the Small Business Association, Oklahoma State University’s New Product Development Center is providing technical assistance and skill development to small and emerging area businesses. 

• In partnership with Indian Health Services, USDA is investing in building a stronger water infrastructure for the region spanning a three county area, including over 700 households and 50 businesses in remote southeast Oklahoma that did not previously have access to clean safe drinking water. 

• The Manufacturing Improvement Program for the Oil and Gas Industry Supply Chain and Marketing Cluster provides services to increase the innovation capacity and improve profitability of small- to medium-sized oil and gas related businesses and manufacturers in 44 low-income Oklahoma counties.

FACT SHEET: Launch of the “It’s On Us” Public Awareness Campaign to Help Prevent Campus Sexual Assault

Since the beginning of this Administration, the President and Vice President have made it a priority to root out sexual violence wherever it exists, especially in our nation’s schools. In April 2011, Vice President Biden and the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, introduced comprehensive guidance to help colleges and universities nationwide better understand their obligations under federal civil rights laws to prevent and respond to sexual assault on campus. 

Building on those efforts, in January 2014, the President and Vice President established the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.  The Task Force has since worked to assist schools in preventing sexual assault and to provide practical tools to help. Today’s announcement is a critical part of the Administration’s work to prevent sexual assault, but it is not the final step.  Our efforts to improve enforcement, transparency, and accountability will continue.

Launching “It’s On Us”

In April, after 27 listening sessions with stakeholders across the country, the Task Force launched the 1is2many PSA aimed at spreading the word that one victim is too many and released the “Not Alone” report to help empower and equip student and administrative bodies to better understand and more effectively tackle the issue. The report included action steps, recommendations, and best practices in four key areas:

(1) Identifying the scope of the problem through campus climate surveys
(2) Preventing campus sexual assault and engaging men
(3) Helping schools respond effectively when a student is assaulted
(4) Improving, and making more transparent, the federal government’s enforcement efforts  

Today, to advance the goal of preventing sexual assault, the President and Vice President will unveil a new public awareness and education campaign: “It’s On Us.” The campaign seeks to engage college students and all members of campus communities in preventing sexual assault in the first place. The campaign is being launched in partnership with the Center for American Progress’ Generation Progress, along with student body leadership from nearly 200 colleges and universities across the country, collegiate sports organizations such as the NCAA, and private companies that have strong connections with students at colleges and universities.

“It’s On Us” aims to fundamentally shift the way we think about sexual assault, by inspiring everyone to see it as their responsibility to do something, big or small, to prevent it. The campaign reflects the belief that sexual assault isn’t just an issue involving a crime committed by a perpetrator against a victim, but one in which the rest of us also have a role to play. We are committed to creating an environment - be it a dorm room, a party, a bar or club, or the greater college campus - where sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported. This effort will support student-led efforts already underway across the country, and will focus particularly on motivating college men to get involved.

Most men are not comfortable with violence against women, but often don’t speak out because they believe that other men accept this behavior. By getting men involved, we can change this way of thinking and create new social norms. Research shows that bystander intervention can be an effective way of stopping sexual assault before it happens, as bystanders play a key role in preventing, discouraging, and/or intervening when an act of violence has the potential to occur.  As the latest CDC report on preventing campus sexual violence shows, wide-ranging, population-based strategies like bystander intervention – which address individual, community, campus, and societal-level factors – have the greatest potential to effect positive and meaningful change.  Bystander education and training aims to heighten awareness, challenge social norms, decrease misperceptions about sexual assault, and provide skills that increase one’s confidence to intervene effectively.

Ongoing Task Force Efforts

“It’s On Us” is a critical step forward in the Administration’s multipronged approach to combat sexual assault that includes improved enforcement of federal laws and practical help for schools. This campaign will complement efforts schools should be undertaking to hold perpetrators accountable and assist students who have experienced sexual assault. As part of this ongoing approach, on Friday the Task Force also will release three new best practices documents that can help colleges and universities improve their response to sexual assault. These documents, which will be posted on NotAlone.gov, will provide sample policy language to help schools strengthen the role of Title IX coordinators; provide interim and supportive measures for victims; and, define prohibited conduct in their sexual misconduct policies.  The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women will also award over $6 million to 18 colleges with grants to develop comprehensive campus sexual assault prevention and response programs.

We know that prevention efforts must also begin early.  The Task Force is working to identify how its recommendations apply to K-12 schools, and has kicked off a series of listening sessions to engage stakeholders in this conversation. The Department of Education continues to work with school districts, colleges and universities to improve the response to sexual assault including through comprehensive remedies requiring schools to conduct climate surveys, train students and employees, and provide prompt and equitable relief to victims. 

We also recognize that many organizations, schools and campus communities have their own campaigns to raise awareness, both about sexual assault generally and more specifically in college. “It’s On Us” will focus on empowering these current efforts and energizing new ones, by giving student bodies the tools they need to organize and spread the word, from the ground up.  Going forward, we will work closely with all stakeholders to use effective organizing tools and creative outreach to engage all Americans in ending sexual assault.

“It’s On Us” Partners

In order to launch this public-private partnership, we have supported the engagement of a broad range of “It’s On Us” partners, including media platforms, the college sports community, student leaders, athletes, celebrities, and other stakeholders. “It’s On Us” partners have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Center for American Progress to be a part of the “It’s On Us” campaign through Generation Progress. “It’s On Us” partners will support the campaign in a number a ways, including but not limited to:

• Working in coordination with Generation Progress to promote “It’s On Us”content, using the brand and logo with their own. This includes using media space online, on television, and on other platforms to spread the word about “It’s On Us”.
• Player or personality media and social media commitments. This includes working with the talent that “It’s On Us” Partners have on staff and through affiliations in order to integrate “It’s On Us” into content and to spread the word using different personalities’ platforms.
• Creating original content for their audience promoting it through their own platforms and talent. “It’s On Us” encourages campaign partners with their own effective ways of creating content that breaks through with college students to do what they do best: communicate with, engage, and mobilize campus communities to act.

Examples of commitments being announced by “It’s On Us” partners today include:

• Student body leaders at colleges and universities: Across the country student leaders from nearly 200 colleges and universities have committed to being part of “It’s On Us” to bring this campaign to their campuses and take action. A list of the schools those student leaders represent is available here.
• NCAA: The NCAA will support “It's On Us” with its 1,100 member schools through resources on NCAA.org; coverage of the campaign in its award-winning quarterly magazine, Champion; activities during the National Week of Action in November; and a half-day session on sexual assault and violence prevention at the Association's annual convention in January. College sports fans will see “It's On Us” PSAs in-venue at NCAA championship events and ongoing engagement on social media.
• Electronic Arts: Electronic Arts, a leading video gaming company, has lined up a major presence across social media channels and online platforms to carry the “It’s On Us” message to fans and players of EA’s games. The social network channels of 16 EA franchises and properties, totaling more than 30 different channels across Facebook, Twitter and more, will post visual assets, messaging and links directing fans to “Take the Pledge” and support “It’s On Us.” EA brands and franchises including EA and EA SPORTS, Dragon Age, The Sims, and many more will reach a fan base of millions today with the message of “It’s On Us.”
• PVBLIC: PVBLIC Foundation, an in-kind grant making organization that harnesses the power of media assets to drive social impact, aggregated pledges of donated advertising space from leading media companies in support of “It's On Us”.  As strategic media outreach partner for the campaign, PVBLIC secured over 1 new billion media impressions nationwide through key partnerships including Lamar, Screenvision, Zoom Media, Verifone and Conversant.  PVBLIC has delivered advertising across the country and on nearly 700 college and university campuses in the form of bus shelters, billboards, magazines, taxi screens, movie theater ads, online advertising and more.
• Mekanism: Working closely with “It’s On Us” stakeholders and partners, Mekanism, an advertising agency that specializes in reaching millennials, developed the “It’s On Us” campaign’s concept, creative, and design. Mekanism focused on developing a campaign that would enable the audience to immediately get involved and participate. They worked with The Mill and Park Pictures on the campaigns PSA’s, and with 14Four to develop the website.
• AAUW: The American Association of University Women has been leading the fight for education and equity for women and girls since 1881. AAUW advocates for stronger policies, funds campus-based projects, conducts groundbreaking research, supports legal action, sponsors fellowships, and trains the next generation of leaders--on campus and off. Building on current organizing efforts around campus sexual assault, AAUW will work with it's over 900 college/university partners to spread the word about “It's On Us”. Coordinating AAUW branches and student chapters on the ground, AAUW will harness the energy of the movement in their work towards successful implementation of the Campus SaVE Act (2013).
• Viacom: Viacom will promote and amplify the message of the “It's On Us” campaign through a variety of their online properties including MTV,VH1, BET and CMT. They will be changing its avatars on its Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media channels to the “It's On Us” badge, as well as promoting the PSA through those channels. MTV will be using their Look Different brand to engage with their audiences on this campaign through a variety of online and on-air platforms. Additionally, CMT will be playing a large role in ongoing efforts by featuring stories about the campaign on their homepage, as the lead story in their November CMT One Country Newsletter, and on their social media platforms.
• Participant Media: Participant Media is providing on-air and online support for ‘It’s On Us’ campaign.  Pivot, Participant’s TV network targeting Millennials, is airing PSA’s daily through the end of the campaign, and as a featured topic on its nightly news show, TakePart Live.  Additionally, TakePart.com will promote the campaign with editorial content, social media, and email to illuminate the issue and connect its millions of readers with the opportunity to pledge support through its Take Action Platform.

“It’s On Us” partners include, American Association of University Women, Athletic Coast Conference, Atlantic 10, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Clear Channel – iHeart Radio, College Humor, Conversant Media, Electronic Arts, Everfi, Generation Progress, Mekanism, Men Can Stop Rape, Participant Media, Microsoft – Bing, NCAA, National Campus Leadership Council, Newsweek, National Women’s Law Center, On Campus Media, Only With Consent, Our Time, Pac 12, Park Pictures, PVBLIC, RAINN, SB Nation, The Mill, Tumblr, Ultraviolet, USA Characters Unite, United States Olympic Committee, Verifone Media and Viacom, which includes VH1, MTV, BET, CMT, and Spike.

If you or someone you know is in need of support, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673, visit here to chat live.

Presidential Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Joan Marie Azrack, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, vice Joanna Seybert, retired.

Alfred H. Bennett, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, vice Kenneth M. Hoyt, retired.

Loretta Copeland Biggs, of North Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, vice James A. Beaty, Jr., retired.

Elizabeth K. Dillon, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, vice Samuel Grayson Wilson, retired.

George C. Hanks, Jr., of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, vice Nancy Friedman Atlas, retired.

Jose Rolando Olvera, Jr., of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, vice Hilda G. Tagle, retired.

Jill N. Parrish, of Utah, to be United States District Judge for the District of Utah, vice Dee V. Benson, retired.

WITHDRAWAL SENT TO THE SENATE:

Alison Renee Lee, of South Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina, vice Cameron M. Currie, retiring, which was sent to the Senate on January 6, 2014.

Presidential Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Allison Beck, of the District of Columbia, to be Federal Mediation and Conciliation Director, vice George H. Cohen, resigned.

Francine Berman, of New York, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020, vice Gary D. Glenn, term expired.

Mario Cordero, of California, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner for the term expiring June 30, 2019.  (Reappointment)

Tho Dinh-Zarr, of Texas, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board for the remainder of the term expiring December 31, 2018, vice Deborah Hersman, resigned.

Maria Echaveste, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Mexican States.

Brian James Egan, of Maryland, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State, vice Harold Hongju Koh, resigned.

Paul A. Folmsbee, of Oklahoma, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Mali.

Earl L. Gay, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Director of the Office of Personnel Management, vice Christine M. Griffin.

Victoria Ann Hughes, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a term expiring October 6, 2016, vice James Palmer, term expired.

Eric P. Liu, of Washington, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a term expiring December 27, 2017, vice Layshae Ward, term expired.

Mary Catherine Phee, of Illinois, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of South Sudan.

Joseph Pius Pietrzyk, of Ohio, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 13, 2017.  (Reappointment)

Dallas P. Tonsager, of South Dakota, to be a Member of the Farm Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit Administration, for a term expiring May 21, 2020, vice Jill Long Thompson, term expired.

Richard Rahul Verma, of Maryland, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of India.    

Deborah Willis, of New York, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020, vice Carol M. Swain, term expired.

WITHDRAWAL SENT TO THE SENATE:

Rhea Sun Suh, of Colorado, to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife, vice Thomas Thomas L. Strickland, resigned, which was sent to the Senate on January 6, 2014.