From Concentrated Poverty to Community Wealth Building in Richmond, VA Thad Williamson, Ph.D., Director, Mayor’s Office of Community Wealth Building October 2015

P OVERTY AND E CONOMIC N EED IN R ICHMOND RichmondVirginia  25.6% poverty rate11.3% poverty rate  $40,496 median hh income$63,907 median hh income  38.9% children in poverty14.9% children in poverty  Richmond metro area 85 th nationally out of 100 largest metro areas in upward social mobility  City of Richmond in bottom 2% of counties nationwide in upward wage mobility for low-income children  Approximately 42,000 City residents in poverty apart from college students. 23.9k working age; 14.7k children; 3.4k elderly

C ONCENTRATION OF P OVERTY BY C ENSUS T RACT, R ICHMOND R EGION

P OVERTY BY C ENSUS T RACT, R ICHMOND VA 5

E DUCATIONAL S EGREGATION  Overall Richmond Public Schools Demographics (Pre-K – 12),  23,775 total students  18,521 economically disadvantaged (77.9%)  18, 616 African-American (non-Hispanic) (78.3%)  2,281 White (non-Hispanic) (9.6%)  2,369 Hispanic (any race) (10.0%)

R EGIONAL E CONOMY W ITHOUT R EGIONAL T RANSIT 7

E AST E ND T RANSFORMATION PROCESS 8

H EALTH D ISPARITIES T RACK W EALTH D ISPARITIES

A SKING THE RIGHT QUESTION  The right question as City policymakers is not “what should society as a whole do about poverty?” So much of what could or should be done lies outside of our immediate control or influence.  The question we should be focused on is “What can we as a City and community do to alter these trends?”

R ECOMMENDATIONS OF M AYOR ’ S A NTI - P OVERTY C OMMISSION  Workforce Development  Targeted Economic Development  Regional Transportation  Educational pipeline from prenatal to college/career  Pursuing public housing redevelopment with commitment to no involuntary displacement

G UIDING F RAMEWORK : W HY C OMMUNITY W EALTH B UILDING ?  Positive emphasis on capitalizing on what we have and positive assets and potential of people  Emphasis on Neighborhoods and people  Developing employment, entrepreneurial, and ownership opportunities with broad-based benefits  Encompasses human capital, social capital, physical capital, and financial capital

M AGGIE L. W ALKER I NITIATIVE 13

M ORAL V ISION Every Richmond resident should have access to quality employment opportunities and preparation and support to be successful in such employment; to a safe neighborhood with good amenities, strong schools, and access to mobility; and to a supportive community environment. 14

M AYOR ’ S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING : I NITIATIVES EducationTransportationHousing Workforce Development

M AGGIE L. W ALKER I NITIATIVE FOR E XPANDING O PPORTUNITY AND F IGHTING P OVERTY  Integrated, holistic approach to reduce the City of Richmond’s 26% poverty rate encompassing education, employment and housing, coordinated through the Mayor’s Office of Community Wealth Building. Key Components  Education: Early Childhood Initiative, Middle School Out-of-School Time Initiative (NextUp RVA), College and Career Access Initiative (RVA Future), Communities in Schools  Employment: Center for Workforce Innovation, Social Enterprise Initiative, Port of Richmond, Bus Rapid Transit  Housing: Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Good Neighbor Initiative in RRHA Communities, East End Transformation (Creighton Court)  A Good Investment: $7 million in City funding in FY 2015 and FY 2016 has already leveraged millions of additional dollars in grants and matching funds for investments in education, housing, Bus Rapid Transit

17 BLISS: B UILDING P ATHWAYS O UT OF P OVERTY In CrisisAt RiskSafeStableThriving  No Income or assets  No skills or credentials  Homeless or unstable housing  No or unreliable transportation or child care.  Safety and mental health risks are high  Addictions and/or Legal Problems  Seeking job or temp/seasonal job or other legal income  Temporary or transitional housing  Transportation and child care available, but not affordable or reliable  Seeking GED or vocational training  Employed in semi-stable job  Housing is stable and is affordable (maybe with subsidy)  Transportation and child care are generally reliable and affordable  Has high school diploma, GED, or vocational training  Permanent & stable job paying living wage  Housing is stable & and is affordable without subsidy  Transportation and child care are reliable and affordable  Career & educational plan in place; active & on-going learning  Permanent, stable employment sufficient to build assets  Housing is permanent & affordable without subsidy  Transportation and child care are reliable and affordable  Implementing education and career plan Based on the HUD Self Sufficiency Matrix

M AYOR ’ S O FFICE OF C OMMUNITY W EALTH B UILDING : K EY R OLES  Coordination  Planning  Hub and Catalyst  Research and Evaluation  Locus of Accountability and Communication  Reports to Mayor  Works across City agencies as well as with partner agencies (RPS, RRHA, RCHD, RBHA, GRTC)  Works with university, nonprofit, private partners 18

I N IT FOR THE LONG HAUL  To cut poverty in Richmond 40% in the next 15 years, we need to move approximately 10,000 adults and 7,000 kids above the poverty line in a lasting way.  What will it take? Building and sustaining the capacity to move at least 1,000 adults a year out of poverty while strengthening the security of families just above the poverty line.  How will we do that? One family at time.  Who will it take? All of us, working together, for the long haul. 19