NEW HUD REPORT SHOWS MOST COMMUNITIES DOING WELL IN STRONG ECONOMY, BUT SOME CITIES FACE NEW URBAN CHALLENGE

• Executive Summary of "Places Left Behind in the New Economy"
• Full report "Places Left Behind in the New Economy"
• Full report "Places Left Behind in the New Economy" in PFD format
  

WASHINGTON - America's communities have benefited from the strong economy created by Clinton Administration policies, but too many cities face "a new urban challenge" of high unemployment, population losses and poverty, according to a federal report issued today.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development report - titled Now Is The Time: Places Left Behind In The New Economy - was released by Secretary Andrew Cuomo during an address to the National Press Club.

The report finds that while most cities are healthier than they have been in a decade, significant numbers have been left behind. It concludes that "America's economy offers the best opportunity in a generation" to help these communities now because of low unemployment, strong business growth, an aggressive urban agenda and the balanced federal budget created by Clinton Administration policies.

"Today's report is important because it will help focus the nation's attention on communities stuck in the slow lane on the road to economic prosperity," Cuomo said. "As President Clinton and Vice President Gore have said, America's work will not be done until our prosperity touches every person in every place."

A NEW URBAN CHALLENGE: FOUR FINDINGS

The HUD report is based on studies of unemployment, population loss and poverty of all 539 central cities in the United States. Central cities are hub communities in metropolitan areas, surrounded by suburbs. These central cities range in size from a minimum of 15,000 people in lightly populated areas to major cities with millions of residents.

The report presents four findings about the new urban challenge:

FINDING #1 - UNACCEPTABLY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT REMAINS IN ONE IN SIX CENTRAL CITIES. High unemployment (50 percent or more above the national rate) affects 17 percent of central cities. This amounts to 95 central cities in 25 states and the District of Columbia with unemployment rates of 6.75 percent or higher in 1998. Even in cities with low unemployment overall, there are pockets of high joblessness. While unemployment has fallen over the past six years even in the cities with the highest rates, the decline has not kept pace with "the lowest peacetime unemployment in over 40 years" that the nation enjoys.

FINDING #2 - STEADY POPULATION LOSS AFFECTS ONE IN FIVE CENTRAL CITIES. In 22 percent of central cities, populations fell 5 percent or more between 1980 and 1996 - even though the nation's population rose 17 percent during the period. This amounts to 116 central cities in 28 states and the District of Columbia. These population losses deprive cities of workers and consumers, leading businesses to leave as well. In addition, the losses remove middle-class and wealthier residents from cities, creating a wider income gap between cities and suburbs. In 1989 the median household income in suburbs was 58 percent higher than the comparable figure in central cities, but rose to 67 percent higher than the city rate in 1996. The exodus of residents and the smaller incomes of those left behind lowers city tax revenues, causing a deterioration of city services and causing more residents to move out.

FINDING #3 - PERSISTENTLY HIGH POVERTY PLAGUES ONE IN THREE CENTRAL CITIES. Poverty rates of 20 percent or more were found in 32 percent of central cities in 1995 (most recent figure available). This amounts to 170 central cities in 34 states and the District of Columbia. The report says "evidence from the most recent HUD estimates, and from school district data on student eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch, strongly suggests that extraordinarily high poverty rates persist today in the most distressed cities."

FINDING #4 - ONE IN SEVEN CITIES FACES "DOUBLE TROUBLE." A combination of high unemployment plus either significant long-term population loss or persistently high poverty rates - or all three - affects 14 percent of central cities. This amounts to 74 cities in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Sixty-six percent of cities that face "double trouble" are small or mid-size - with populations of 100,000 or less.

OTHER CHALLENGES

The study says that in spite of the growing economy that has improved the lives of most people in this country, "America is facing a triple threat." One threat is the new "urban challenge" described above. The other two are: