Over the past decade, researchers have called attention to a variety of ways in which lower-income neighborhoods participate in the regional economy, including discovery by retailers of the untapped market potential of lower-income neighborhoods, emergence of informal arts and cultural districts, the role of anchor institutions as employers and service providers, among others.

Over lunch, we will view a live broadcast of the national event in which Don Graves, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Department and Teresa Lynch, Senior Vice President of ICIC will engage researchers and practitioners around the following issues: What does the most recent research say about prospects for low-income neighborhoods within the regional economy? What are industry leaders saying about the prospects for incorporating lower-income neighborhoods into the regional economic engine? How have community developers taken advantage of neighborhood assets to advance their economic presence?

Following the national event, we will discuss how these issues relate to local conditions. Among other ventures taking place in New England, we will focus on the cases of neighborhood-level education interventions in Boston and Woonsocket.

Part 1: National Panel

Part 2: Regional Discussion

Sponsors

The Institute for Comprehensive Community Development, Urban Institute, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Local Initiatives Support Coalition

For more information, contact Erin Graves at 617.973.3813 or erin.m.graves@bos.frb.org