June 2018 - On Tuesday, June 19, Sacramento Promise Zone’s Director and Coordinator, Tyrone Roderick Williams and Julius Austin respectively, spoke in support of establishing an Office of Geographically Targeted Economic Development to provide state assistance to federal Promise Zones within California.
The bill, SB 635, presented to the California State Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy, was passed and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. The establishment of a state coordinator will focus the attention of state programs to California Promise Zones and further strengthen and revitalize areas with the greatest need. The Office of Geographically Targeted Economic Development will assist Promise Zones in receiving state assistance through programs such as the California Competes Tax Credit, the Employment Training Fund, and the No Place Like Home program. Additionally, the coordinator will work with state agencies to develop the degree and amount of preference or priority points that may apply to projects located within Promise Zone.
This effort illustrates the state’s awareness of the importance of Promise Zones’ partner-driven, targeted approach to addressing California’s most concentrated areas of poverty. Sacramento Promise Zone partners will have the potential to receive state preference points for funding opportunities from California state agencies in addition to a dedicated voice and liaison between those state agencies and the Sacramento Promise Zone team. To learn more about preference points and how to better connect with state agencies and programs please contact Julius Austin, Sacramento Promise Zone Coordinator, at 916-449-6212 or jaustin@shra.org.