Tightened federal resources, coupled with an outflow of capital and a scarcity of new credit and private investment in lower income communities, have exacerbated these conditions. CPA's groundbreaking work on community economic development has highlighted policies that lead to greater investment in traditionally underserved and neglected neighborhoods. The CRA requires financial institutions to offer services and lending products that meet the unique credit needs of their local community. The CRA opened the eyes of many bankers to the good investment opportunities that exist in their own back yard, leading to greater investment in many capital-starved neighborhoods. Brownfield Redevelopment programs recognize that abandoned industrial sights can be a community resource.
Telecommunications facilitate the development of underserved communities.
In an age driven by information technology, poor communities are often cut off from the economic and social mainstream because they do not have sufficient technological resources. We must ensure that all communities have access to the information highway which is guiding our economy and society. Outreach to support publicly funded health programs must be an element of any economic develop program. Parents cannot work if they are constantly sick, nor can children learn in schools when they are sick. Too often those who are eligible for publicly funded health programs do not apply.