New Haven city leaders have set the goal of making Elm City the most affordable city in the state.
New Haven was one of 26 communities across the country chosen for a program aimed at equipping municipalities with the resources to eliminate poverty and create racial equity.
The Upward Mobility Initiative is administered by the nonprofit research group the Urban Institute and will run for one year.
The program will establish the framework for years of improvement, including programs targeting homeless families with school-aged children and ways to increase resident savings, according to New Haven’s Housing Authority President Karen DuBois Walton.
“We won't continue to grow as we need to, in a way that includes families of all income levels, families of all races and ethnic backgrounds, you know, continue to be a place for new immigrants.”
The city of New Haven, its housing authority known as Elm City Communities, United Way of Greater New Haven, Community Action Agency, Workforce Alliance and Mobility Works comprise New Haven’s coalition.
New Haven is approaching the initiative with a focus on racial equity.
“We're focused on, what can we do to boost economic mobility and improve racial justice in this community?” DuBois-Walton said. “Too many families have too limited income and assets in order to advance, and they have too limited access to quality housing that's affordable.”
Residents should see some changes implemented this year, including community meetings, DuBois-Walton said.
“There might be things that get incorporated, when decisions are made, or policies are made, that they're being made with an eye toward, is this actually helping to advance racial equity? Is that helping to decrease racial disparities?” DuBois-Walton said.
Over the next year, Urban Institute experts will provide members with training and technical assistance as they work on strategies that promote mobility and equity. It’ll include training on the Upward Mobility Framework, related data and planning tools, one-on-one advisory support calls and peer learning with other communities in the program.
New Haven’s focus within the program is on forming community coalitions and identifying partners in their work, according to Kimberly Burrowes, a senior manager of training and technical assistance at the Urban Institute.
“Hopefully, by the end of our work with them, they're able to really understand who in their ecosystem is supportive of some of these upper mobility and racial equity efforts and initiatives,” Burrowes said.
