An Associated Black Charities/Job Opportunities Task Force Joint Report Presented by Andrea Payne Roethke Job Opportunities Task Force July 14, 2010

 Demographics: Nearly 2/3 of city residents are African-American  An “African-American Renaissance” would be transformative: ◦ Incomes rise by over $3 billion ◦ 30,000 new jobs supported ◦ $200 million in additional property taxes  Source: Sage Policy Group, 2006

Business & Economic Development Homeownership & Foreclosure Prevention Asset Building & Financial Literacy Higher Education Workforce Development

The Challenge

 Expanding Access to Good Jobs  Building Pathways to Careers  Tackling Discrimination

Job Access & Quality  Targeted hiring on projects using public funds  Contracting that encourages job quality  Clear employment pipelines on major public infrastructure projects

Addressing Spatial Mismatch  Fostering the responsible growth of the city's core industries  Better regional mass transit links  Lower barriers to car ownership ◦ Age-appropriate licensing laws ◦ Low-cost auto insurance (targeting low-income, urban drivers)

Building Stronger Education & Training Pathways  Investment in Adult Ed and GED prep  Bridge programs linking basic education & hard-skill training  Fostering post-secondary access & success ◦ Support innovation in developmental ed ◦ Build a strong need-based aid system ◦ Engage non-traditional students

Integrate Workers with Criminal Records  The Challenge: ◦ 59% of Maryland's incarcerated are from Baltimore ◦ 75% are African-American  Strategies: ◦ Invest in coordinated transition services ◦ Educate employers on hiring issues and best practices ◦ Ban the Box on state employment applications

Tackling Discrimination  Partner with business to promote best practices  Provide training and resources to small businesses  Maintain existing enforcement infrastructure ◦ Educate citizens on resources and rights

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