"A Sustainable Future: Preserving and Expanding Biking, Walking, and Public Transportation Funding" Webinar - March 30th, 2011

Income disrupting life events are more common than we think. Divorce, unemployment, poor health, caregiving all have real costs and consequences that can shift life's trajectories, curtail family-member's dreams, and have devastating long lasting effects on a families' financial security and well being. Some families are more vulnerable to financial disruptions than others and not everyone experiences the same risk of income loss from these events.

What are the real costs to these events? Why do some recover more quickly and easily than others? What kinds of change in policy and practice can help secure present and future opportunities for families navigating life's financial disruptions?

These questions are explored in the latest report in the Leveraging Mobility series. In "Keeping Dreams Alive: The Lane Changer Costs of Financial Disruptions," the Institute for Assets and Social Policy reviews how families bear the costs of income-disrupting life events.
 

Communities of color are driving Southeast Florida’s population growth, and their ability to participate and thrive is central to the region’s economic success. But wide racial gaps in income, health, and opportunity place its future at risk. Creating good jobs, connecting youth and vulnerable workers to training and career pathways, and increasing access to economic opportunities can secure a bright economic future for the region. PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) produced this profile in partnership with the Southeast Florida Regional Planning Partnership. You can also download the profile and summary.

Media: South Florida Least Affordable for Housing, Studies Show (SunSentinal) 

While Kansas City's regional economy is relatively resilient, inequities in educational attainment and economic opportunity for its black and Latino communities place its economy at risk. The process of developing this profile helped build a broader coalition for equitable growth that includes the Mid-America Regional Council (a regional planning agency), Kansas City Regional Equity Network, and Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Download the equity profile and summary.

Media: Racial, Ethnic Inequities in Kansas City Region Threaten its Future (The Kansas City Star), Racial Inequality Threatens Kansas City Economy (CFED), Kansas City’s Future Depends on Overcoming a Racial Divide (The Kansas City Star), Reducing Inequality Key to Spurring Economic Growth in KC, Expert Says (Kansas Health Institute)

Summary: This Rhode Island profile documents the state's rapid demographic shift and performance on a host of equity indicators. Download the full report.

Find other equity profiles here.

Our analysis showed that communities of color are driving growth and change in the Ocean State – growing from 7 percent of the population in 1980 to 24 percent of the population today – yet face barriers accessing quality employment. It inspired Governor Chafee’s Executive Order on Diversity, aimed at increasing opportunities for people of color to access government jobs and business contracts. Download the equity profile and summary.

Media: Study Finds Racial Gaps Putting RI’s Economy, Future at Risk (Go Local Prov News), R.I. Urged to Focus on Homegrown Firms (Boston Globe), Governor Chafee Joins Sustainable Rhode Island Consortium for Release of Reports on State's Economic Development Data and Conditions of Social Equity (RI.Gov)

Describes immediate and decisive action needed by California's leaders to increase fairness and opportunity as the state stands at the cutting edge of the nation's demographic transformation, growing more racially and ethnically diverse.

Puts forward a new vision of America’s future: lifts up the challenges that the nation must address to succeed and highlights continued racial gaps and disparities, reviews current and future demographic shifts, and suggests initial steps toward building an equity-driven growth model based on the innovative work being done in communities across the country.