On April 28, 2015, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that Sacramento received a Promise Zone designation. The Promise Zone designation creates a partnership between federal, state and local agencies to give local leaders proven tools to improve the quality of life in some of Sacramento’s most vulnerable areas.

 

Sacramento is one of eight Promise Zones in the country announced in the second round of designations from 123 applicants in 36 states, including Washington DC and Puerto Rico, and the only recipient in Northern California.

 

As a Promise Zone, Sacramento receives significant benefits including priority access to federal investments that further local strategic plans, federal staff on the ground to help implement goals, and five full time AmeriCorps VISTA members to recruit and manage volunteers and strengthen the capacity of the Promise Zone partners.

 

“The City of Sacramento and our partners are committed to pursuing opportunities that will support the goals of the Promise Zone. As the capital city of California, our goal is to be a model city for the region and state. The designation presents an extraordinary opportunity for the Promise Zone neighborhoods and the region.” - Kevin Johnson, Former Sacramento Mayor 

​

The Sacramento Promise Zone encompasses 22 square miles of the economically hardest-hit neighborhoods in the city. More than 30% of residents in the Promise Zone have yet to achieve a high school diploma or GED. Nearly a quarter of the residents are foreign-born with limited English proficiency. The Promise Zone also has alarmingly high unemployment and mortality rates.

​

As the lead applicant, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, in partnership with more than 150 key partners, committed to coordinate resources, build capacity and create public-private partnerships to drive area revitalization. The partners adopted the following five goals to improve the quality of life and accelerate revitalization:

​

 

​