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Despite
Cincinnati’s prosperity in the past, the Cincinnati Empowerment
Corporation has discussed a plan in which to alleviate the economic
hardships of the area through their strategies for change.
The Cincinnati Empowerment Corporation is a non-profit group created to
manage the Empowerment Zone Grant that was awarded to Cincinnati in 1998.
(1)
Because of sub-standard conditions, the Cincinnati Empowerment
Corporation and other members of the Cincinnati community have
asked all residents to play a greater role in matters of local government
in an effort to fix the economic problems within the community.
The community plan is a result of four years of work that followed
the community’s Empowerment Corporation application.
Through a partnership with the federal government, the plan
includes initiatives that are designed to “help address the needs of
Cincinnati’s neighborhoods” and empower the “community organizations
and residents.” (2)
Through this plan,
citizens of Cincinnati plan to offer “innovative financing, homebuyer and
homeowner education and counseling and resources for home repair” in an
effort to address one of the lowest home ownership rates in the country.
There are also plans to “improve the civic capital and civil
infrastructure” within the nine neighborhood Empowerment Zone.
The chosen neighborhoods will receive the Empowerment Zone grant funding
in order to improve their neighborhoods.
Existing businesses will be strengthened to help “more residents
become business owners.” The
unemployment rate will be addressed in the “context of a regional
economy” by “demanding more qualified workers, a consortium comprised
of residents, businesses, and local employment and training providers”
who will oversee jobs offered by regional employers.
(3)
In addition,
poverty will be addressed by the establishment of a Children’s Life
Enrichment Network. The
Children’s Life Enrichment Network will “place outreach workers in the
community to work with children and families in need of health or social
services.” It will also
provide “coordinated service delivery systems for existing community
health clinics and social service providers.”
The quality of education within the schools in the Cincinnati
School District will be improved by establishing a decentralized budget
and creating a “decision-making authority” which will include
principals, teachers, and parents. Before
and after-school childcare programs, health services, and other services
will also be available to create a safer school environment.
Although the Empowerment Plan was initiated in late 1998, efforts
are still being made to achieve the organization’s goals. (4)
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