Supporting Strong Cities and Strong Communities Around the Country

 

Today, the Obama Administration launched Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2), a new and customized pilot initiative to strengthen local capacity and spark economic growth in local communities, while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely and efficiently. (CLEVELAND OHIO)

 

 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/07/11/supporting-strong-cities-and-strong-communities-around-country

 

Love this

 

To accomplish this, federal agencies will provide experienced staff to work directly with six cities: Chester, PA; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Fresno, CA; Memphis, TN; and New Orleans, LA.  These teams will work with local governments, the private sector, and other institutions to leverage federal dollars and support the work being done at the local level to encourage economic growth and community development.

 

Using the May unemployment rates for MSA, I am not sure of the relationship between the cities selected and the health of their economies as shown by employment.  Are there additional program goals beyond making the cities more economically viable?

 

Chester, PA (Philadelphia)    8.4%

Cleveland, OH                  7.7%

Detroit, MI                        11.6%

Fresno, CA                        16.0%

Memphis, TN                      10.1%

New Orleans, LA                  8.0%

 

Using the May unemployment rates for MSA, I am not sure of the relationship between the cities selected and the health of their economies as shown by employment.  Are there additional program goals beyond making the cities more economically viable?

 

Chester, PA (Philadelphia)    8.4%

Cleveland, OH                  7.7%

Detroit, MI                        11.6%

Fresno, CA                        16.0%

Memphis, TN                      10.1%

New Orleans, LA                  8.0%

 

I've been thinking the same thing.  Not exactly excited be in a group that includes New Orleans, Detroit, & Memphis.  But, if we get some free stuff or some sort of preferential treatment, so much the better I guess..

Cleveland probably got included as part of the kickback promised to Kucinich way back in exchage for his vote on HCR

The selection of cities is an effort to include cities in different geographical areas and size, in part to ensure cross country buy in and in part to see if this type of capacity building exercise works at cities of various scales.

Cleveland probably got included as part of the kickback promised to Kucinich way back in exchage for his vote on HCR

 

Plausible, but hardly probable.

Exactly what is the initiative though? Just better 'coordination' or is there any money/project funding for something? Everything i've seen so far is extremely vague.

I don't think there's much money per se.  More in the line of technical assistance and better access to federal departments for information/clarification about program rules, guidance about project development and maybe negotiating special arrangements (e.g., for disposition of HUD-owned homes).  It's also meant to help the feds improve their programs.

 

I don't think Cleveland's selection is very mysterious.  Relatively low regional unemployment hardly means Cleveland doesn't face "economic need."  Per the press release:

 

SC2 pilot cities were selected on the basis of economic need, strong local leadership and collaboration, potential for economic growth, geographic diversity, and the ability to test the SC2 model across a range of environments.  Federal assessment teams spent time on the ground working directly with mayors and other local officials to determine needs, opportunities and gather input for the pilot initiative.

StrapHanger,

 

I do not want to sound argumentative (which apparently I always do) but, if "low regional unemployment hardly means Cleveland doesn't face "economic need" , then what figures are you looking at relative to the nation?  I agree with 8Titles.  There is little serious money here, and I am tired being linked to Detroit when talking about economic development.  Obama has come here praising our economic development, our Cleveland Clinic, and yet we are selected for some program designed to "spark economic growth in local communities".

 

That is why I asked in my original post - Are there additional objectives for this program that will benefit Cleveland?

 

^The City of Cleveland has among the highest rates of poverty, property vacancy, and population loss of any large US municipality.  I don't see how how anyone could argue that the City of Cleveland isn't a place of serious "economic need" relative to most of urban America.  At the same time, there are incredible governmental and non-profit partners in the city that are eager to boost their effectiveness and improve relations with branches of the federal government that can help them.  This is not some miserable Forbes ranking of depressed cities.  It's not remotely a slap in the face.  And we aren't be lumped willy nilly with Detroit.  It's just a targeted technical assistance program aimed at helping municipalities [not MSAs] with economic challenges increase their capacity to undertake economic development programs.

^The City of Cleveland has among the highest rates of poverty, property vacancy, and population loss of any large US municipality.  I don't see how how anyone could argue that the City of Cleveland isn't a place of serious "economic need" relative to most of urban America.  At the same time, there are incredible governmental and non-profit partners in the city that are eager to boost their effectiveness and improve relations with branches of the federal government that can help them.  This is not some miserable Forbes ranking of depressed cities.  It's not remotely a slap in the face.  And we aren't be lumped willy nilly with Detroit.  It's just a targeted technical assistance program aimed at helping municipalities [not MSAs] with economic challenges increase their capacity to undertake economic development programs.

 

Thank you.  Its ok to love and see the positives there, but if you dont see some of the serious conditions that have plagued the area, then you are simply living in a bubble. 

"It's just a targeted technical assistance program aimed at helping municipalities [not MSAs] with economic challenges increase their capacity to undertake economic development programs."

 

Thanks, that was the additional info I was looking for.