Obama to name ‘Promise Zones’ to boost economic growth (Detroit News)

Wall Street Journal
(1/8/2014 9:03 AM, David Shepardson)

Washington — The White House said Wednesday that President Barack Obama is naming five "Promise Zones" — but said Detroit is not one of the winners.

Obama will announce the first five “Promise Zones" — in San Antonio, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Southeastern Kentucky, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma — an initiative announced during the 2013 State of the Union Address as an effort to "partner with local communities and businesses to create jobs, increase economic security, expand access to educational opportunities and quality, affordable housing and improve public safety," the White House said Wednesday morning.

Last month, Obama talked about his plan and referenced Detroit.

"We’ve put forward new plans to help these communities and their residents, because we’ve watched cities like Pittsburgh or my hometown of Chicago revamp themselves. And if we give more cities the tools to do it — not handouts, but a hand up — cities like Detroit can do it, too. So in a few weeks, we’ll announce the first of these Promise Zones, urban and rural communities where we’re going to support local efforts focused on a national goal — and that is a child’s course in life should not be determined by the zip code he’s born in, but by the strength of his work ethic and the scope of his dreams," Obama said in a speech in Washington on economic inequality.

The Housing and Urban Development said in a Dec. 5 report that "Promise Zones will not receive direct funding, but will benefit from technical assistance, federal staff support, and more extensive preference points and access to other federal grant programs."

In total, the administration plans to name 20 "Promise Zones" cities over the next four years.