1 We are the people we’ve been waiting for!

EHR Membership Committee2 Empower Hampton Roads  Coalition of faith communities  Working together for positive change in Hampton Roads  Organized people of faith

EHR Membership Committee3

4 In-Reach Campaign  Teams in each congregation trained to reach out to thousands of people to identify issues.

EHR Membership Committee5 Issues Convention  May 22, 2004  250 attendees voted for three issues

EHR Membership Committee6 Housing - Affordable Workforce Dwellings throughout the Hampton Roads region Education - Adequate funding for public school systems preparing students for lifelong success Jobs and Economy - Seeking the creation of jobs with decent wages, including necessary support with training, daycare and transportation INTERFAITH COALITION SETS 2-YEAR PRIORITIES FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Our Issues

EHR Membership Committee7 Task Force Development  June 11, 2004 David Rusk presentation on affordable housingDavid Rusk presentation on affordable housing Forty prominent civic and business leaders attendedForty prominent civic and business leaders attended These were people of power and influenceThese were people of power and influence Local print media were in attendanceLocal print media were in attendance Virginia Pilot, Daily Press, PortfolioVirginia Pilot, Daily Press, Portfolio  June 12, 2004 Task force formed & trainedTask force formed & trained 80 members present80 members present

EHR Membership Committee8 UUUUnlocking the door to regional equity Campaign for Regional Equity

EHR Membership Committee9 What is the Issue?  Access to housing, education and jobs is NOT equitable in the Hampton Roads region

EHR Membership Committee10 What is the Issue?  Opportunity based housing: the best place to start to address all 3 issues  Opportunity based housing is Affordable to lower wage workers ANDAffordable to lower wage workers AND Located in growing communitiesLocated in growing communities

EHR Membership Committee11 What is the Issue?  Opportunity based housing gives people of all incomes Equal access to new housingEqual access to new housing Equal access to new jobsEqual access to new jobs Equal access to high performing schoolsEqual access to high performing schools

EHR Membership Committee12 Housing and Education  Average low-income pupil’s test scores in inner city schools (82% low-income classmates) will improve by 12 % by moving to schools in areas with a lower density poverty (17% low-income classmates).

EHR Membership Committee13 Housing and Jobs  New job growth is highest in communities with greatest housing growth  Access to housing in growth communities means access to new jobs

EHR Membership Committee14 What can be done about it?  Inclusionary Zoning % of new housing is affordable to lower wage workers% of new housing is affordable to lower wage workers Density bonus for developersDensity bonus for developers % can be purchased or rented by local housing authorities% can be purchased or rented by local housing authorities

EHR Membership Committee15 Why inclusionary zoning? #1 - More units. If Hampton Roads had inclusionary zoning during the 1990’s we might now have 9,750 additional units of affordable housing. #2 – Better choices. When high growth areas take their “fair share” of lower cost housing, people of moderate incomes (teacher’s aides, day care workers, retail salespeople etc.) can live in communities where they work.

EHR Membership Committee16 Why inclusionary zoning?   #3 - Better appearance. Units look like market rate units but are affordable by making a house that looks like a single- family house into a duplex.

EHR Membership Committee17 Why inclusionary zoning? #4 - Better Lives. Low wage workers gain access to growing job centers and high performance schools. Better jobs and education break the cycle of poverty in families.

EHR Membership Committee18 Why inclusionary zoning?  Better region Less congestionLess congestion Opportunity rather than public interventionOpportunity rather than public intervention

EHR Membership Committee19 Why inclusionary zoning?  Over 130 cities and counties (with 13 million residents – 5% of USA) have enacted mandatory inclusionary zoning (IZ) laws requiring specified percentage of affordable housing in new developments.

EHR Membership Committee20 Get Involved  Join a task force HousingHousing EducationEducation JobsJobs  Financial support  Prayer

EHR Membership Committee21 Where we are going  Public Meeting Willett Hall, Portsmouth, VAWillett Hall, Portsmouth, VA Thursday, October 7, 2004Thursday, October 7, 2004 Registration at 6:00 PMRegistration at 6:00 PM 2000 people2000 people Business and civic leadersBusiness and civic leaders Presentation of the EHR campaign for regional EquityPresentation of the EHR campaign for regional Equity