The next round of the Obama Administration’s Promise Zone applications will be discussed Friday, Sept. 19 at 11 AM eastern time by U. S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Rep. Gary Peters of Michigan. Part of the administration’s plan to develop new middle class members by garnering community resources and leaders to integrate housing, economic and educational opportunities, and reduce violent crime, the first five Promise Zones announced in January were San Antonio, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, southeastern Kentucky and the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma. “This is a sharp departure from the way the government provided aid in the past,” Shaun Donovan, the former HUD secretary said at the time, according to housingwire.com. “Washington would swoop in and impose solutions without working with local leaders to support their visions and strengthen all assets needed for communities to thrive. We want to bring together a wide variety of stake holders to better communities. Home is the foundation of all of our lives. Now we are going to connect housing with other efforts to expand opportunity.”MHProNews understands the importance of including residents in seeking solutions to community problems. ##
