Community Development: The American Community Renewal Act of 1998. Statement of211 Stanley J. Czerwinski, Associate Director, Housing and Community Development 211 Issues, Resources, Community and Economic Development Division

摘要

The bill we are discussing today, H.R. 3865, was introduced in the House of211u001eRepresentatives on May 14, 1998, and allows for the designation of 100 areas as 211u001e'renewal' communities. These communities would receive incentives to increase 211u001ejobs, form and expand small businesses, and increase educational opportunities 211u001eand homeownership. To be eligible for designation as a renewal community, an area 211u001emust meet economic distress criteria; specifically, its unemployment rate must be 211u001eat least 150 percent of the national unemployment rate; its poverty rate must be 211u001eat least 20 percent in each census tract; and, in urban areas, at least 70 211u001epercent of its households must have incomes below 80 percent of the median income 211u001eof households within the local governmental jurisdiction. We identify the number 211u001eof census tracts that meet the economic distress criteria of H.R. 3865. We also 211u001ediscuss the results of our prior report on six urban Empowerment Zones that 211u001edescribed the program's early implementation, including factors that participants 211u001ebelieved may have either helped or hindered efforts to carry out the program.