1. Community Wealth Building in Richmond: Year One Report to the Community
Thad Williamson, Ph.D, Director, Mayor’s Office of Community Wealth Building
June 25, 2015

2. Poverty and Economic Need in Richmond
Richmond Virginia
25.6% poverty rate 11.3% poverty rate
$40,496 median hh income $63,907 median hh income
38.9% children in poverty 14.9% children in poverty
Richmond metro area 85th 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

3. Poverty by Census Tract, Richmond VA

4. Health Disparities Track Wealth Disparities

5. Educational Segregation
Overall RPS 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%)

6. Regional Economy Without Regional Transit

7. Seven Major Background Factors
National trend of rising inequality since 1970s
Decline of manufacturing and employment prospects for blue-collar Americans
Housing segregation
Educational segregation
Evolution of regional economy without regional transportation
The Virginia Rules: Unique structure of local government
Weakened family structure

8. Asking 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?”

9. Guiding Framework: Why Community Wealth Building?
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

10. Maggie L. Walker Initiative

11. Moral Vision
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.

12. Recommendations of Mayor’s Anti-Poverty Commission
Workforce Development
Targeted Economic Development
Regional Transportation
Educational pipeline from prenatal to college/career
Pursuing public housing redevelopment with commitment to no involuntary displacement

13. Mayor’s Office of Community Wealth Buildling: Key Roles
Coordination
Planning
Hub and Catalyst
Research and Evaluation
Locus of Accountability and Communication
Housed in the Office of the DCAO for Human Services
Works across City agencies as well as with partner agencies (RPS, RRHA, RCHD, GRTC)
Works with university, nonprofit, private partners

14. Center for Workforce Innovation

15. Center for Workforce Innovation

16. BLISS: Building Pathways Out of Poverty
In Crisis
At Risk
Safe
Stable
Thriving
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
Implementing education and career plan
Based on the HUD Self Sufficiency Matrix

17. GRTC Pulse—Rapid Transit for RVA

18. Social Enterprise Development

19. Good Neighbor Initiative

20. East End Transformation process

21. Affordable Housing Trust Fund

22. Early Childhood: Collaboration for Better Outcomes

23. RVA Reads

24. NextUp: Henderson Pilot Year

25. NextUp: Terrific Program Partners

26. RVA FUTURE—Launching Future Centers

27. RVA Future—building Towards Promise Scholarships

28. Maggie L. Walker Initiative Citizens Advisory Board

29. A Smart Investment for the City
The City’s $3.4 million investment in the program of the Maggie L. Walker Initiative in FY 2015 leveraged or lead to:
$3.8m in matching state and federal grants for BRT planning process (in turn leading to $24.9m federal grant for implementation)
$1.2m in private funding for NextUp
$300,000 grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation for early childhood development
Housing Trust Fund projects expected to leverage millions of dollars in private investment

30. In 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.