07-25-1994 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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r Issue Identification: Detcrioratine nciehboThoods -- Concentration of low income residents living in deteriorating housing in centra' c-vy and suburban neighborhoods with increasing or high rales of crime arnl decreasing public and private investment. A range of factors -- economic, social, and personal -- can contribute to people living in poor economic conditions. People without basic life cho'ces often lack the ability to improve their economic condition. They can become concentrated in areas where inadequate housing and job opportunities exist, and their conditions arc further worsened. This corxlition is made ev'en more dimcult when people in these neighborhoods exhibit behaviors detrimental to the well being of themselves, their neighborhood, and the metropolitan area in general. Principles The Urban Strategies Task Force's work and report arc based on the following principles: • It is tlw respoftisibility of governments at all levels to encourage problem solving through meaningful citizen involvement and to participate in a unified effort to provide: tunities for people to be self sufficient and to live and work in safe, viable, diverse communities; choice in affordable housing and job of^minities; and a reduction in concentration of poverty. It is the role of government to actively support diversity within their communities. AMM agrees wi^ the statement in the Citizen's League ’s Committee on Homing Policy and Metropolitan Development conclusion that “policy makers must lead the way toward a new vision of community that includes tolerance of socioeconomic and racial difterences." Government must maximize the efficient use of public and private funds by planning coordinated local, sub-regional, and regional strategies to address the identified issues Barriers to reducing concentrations of poverty, and therefore deteriorating neighborhoods, have developed over time as the result of geographic and social patterns, public policy, and market forces. These barriers can be social, economic, legislative, housing, racial, or educatiofud barriers. Although governments may not have ritentionally created such barriers, the fact that governments have failed to address these barriers contributes to the problems seen today in areas with concentrations of poverty. Each community in the region as a w hole should identify and address such barriers that exist within their communities. AMM Urban Strategies Task Force - Discussion Draft Page 2 i J