FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:   Brie Turek (407) 246-3106
Laura Bornfreund (407) 246-3423

ORLANDO AMONG NINE CITIES NATIONWIDE SELECTED
TO HELP LOCAL FAMILIES BUILD ECONOMIC STABILITY

ORLANDO, FL (September 29, 2005) – Due to Mayor Buddy Dyer’s commitment to improving the lives of low- to moderate-income families, the City of Orlando joins a select group of nine municipalities from around the nation chosen by the National League of Cities’ (NLC) to participate in a 16-month technical assistance project, Cities Helping Families Build Assets.

Other selected cities include: Burlington, Vt., Durham, N.C., Grayson, Okla., Itta Bena, Miss., Louisville, Ky., Milwaukee, Wis., Savannah, Ga., and Seattle, Wash.

Through a grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, NLC’s Cities Helping Families Build Assets project will build Orlando’s capacity to help families increase their economic stability. NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families will support participating cities’ efforts by providing training, technical assistance, as well as other tools and materials.

“One thing critical to the health, education and well-being of our citizens, specially our children, is the economic stability of their families – the ability of families to afford housing, childcare, transportation, and other basic needs,” said Mayor Dyer.

As part of the project, a team of City staff, including the Director of Children and Education, Director of Housing, Director of Urban Development, and Director of Audit and Evaluation, will attend site visits to two of the following cities that are already implementing innovative asset-building strategies: Phoenix, Ariz.; Baltimore, Md.; Indianapolis, Ind.; and Miami, Fla.

These visits will create an interactive forum, showcasing ways City leaders can support and initiate asset-building initiatives in their own communities. Each host city will focus on one of the following important asset building strategies: financial literacy; homeownership counseling and incentives; asset accumulation strategies such as savings campaigns and Individual Development Account programs; and asset protection to help families avoid predatory lending practices.

“By the end of the year, as a result of our participation in the Cities Helping Families Build Assets Project, our City will have developed a strategic plan to help ease economic hardship and build assets among Orlando’s low-income families,” added Mayor Dyer.

Strengthening America through stronger cities, towns, and villages, the National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization for American cities. NLC serves as a resource and advocate for 18,000 cities, towns, and villages, which collectively serve 225 million people. Visit www.nlc.org.

Fore more information regarding the City of Orlando’s housing and education programs, log online to www.cityoforlando.net.
 

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