Cultivating Partnerships to Build Wealth and Financial Inclusion
The Port of Long Beach is an economic powerhouse, handling $200 billion worth of goods annually and supporting 2.6 million jobs nationwide. However, the West Long Beach neighborhood that houses the port, where 90% of residents are people of color, with significant Latino, Black, and Filipino communities, suffers from poor... Read more
Leveraging Technology to Modernize Environmental Protection in NYC
NYC's Department of Environmental Protection faces growing challenges in providing essential services due to aging infrastructure and climate change impacts, which disproportionately affect low-income residents and communities of color. These populations experience greater vulnerability to service disruptions, water quality issues, and flooding, widening existing socioeconomic disparities. While DEP has begun... Read more
Strengthening Immigrant and Historically Disadvantaged Small Business Ownership and Generational Wealth-Building
Philadelphia’s immigrant-owned small businesses play a crucial role in the city’s economy, accounting for over a third of businesses in commercial corridors. Despite their economic significance, these business owners face substantial barriers to building long-term wealth, including limited access to business succession planning resources and challenges in acquiring the commercial... Read more
Fostering Intergenerational Wealth Through Homeownership
Kansas City faces significant housing challenges, including high vacancy rates (10.5% of housing units) and declining Black homeownership, which has decreased by 2.5% in recent years with fewer than 50% of Black households owning homes. To address these issues, the City's Land Bank is collaborating with the Office of Housing... Read more
Connecting Home Buyers with Down Payment Assistance
Durham, North Carolina is experiencing one of the fastest-growing real estate markets in the country, currently ranking fourth nationally in price growth and demand. The city's expanding job market in technology and healthcare has attracted new residents, but rising housing costs have created significant challenges, especially for historically underrepresented renters... Read more
Transforming Municipal Property into Affordable Residential Housing Opportunities
Durham, North Carolina has experienced significant growth, with population increasing by 24% between 2010 and 2020 and median home values rising by 59% from 2017 to 2022. These market dynamics have widened existing inequities, with Black household homeownership (42.1%) lagging significantly behind white households (64.6%). To address these disparities, the... Read more
Building Effective, Inclusive Approaches to Countywide Coordination of Equitable Services
Los Angeles County, home to 9.7 million residents across 88 cities and diverse communities, is working to improve the coordination and delivery of services with a focus on equity and inclusion. Through the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative and the newly established Prevention and Promotion Coordination and Implementation Team... Read more
Engaging and Empowering L.A. County Youth Towards Achieving Optimal Health Outcomes
Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health, through its Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Programs (MCAH), is prioritizing youth health by empowering adolescents to navigate healthcare systems and make informed decisions about their well-being. Collaborating with its Youth Advisory Council—a diverse group of high school and college students—the County will... Read more
Reimagining Homelessness Prevention and Response for the Latino Community
Los Angeles County is addressing the rapid rise among Latino residents experiencing homelessness, which increased by 26% from 2020 to 2022—more than triple the national rate. In response, the County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative convened a task force to identify barriers such as language access, immigration status, and... Read more
Financial Systems Improvement and Change Management to Strengthen Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County’s Internal Services Department (ISD) plays a critical role in delivering essential services across the County, including IT support, energy management, procurement, and operations, while advancing key diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. However, ISD’s current rate-setting and billing processes are inconsistent, causing customer departments to have challenges... Read more