EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — The Evansville area that the Obama administration has designated a Promise Zone with easier access to federal aid has a poverty rate of 39 percent among its more than 22,000 residents.
The White House says nearly 30 percent of the population has less than a high school diploma, and crime there is a growing concern. The Promise Zone has the ECHO Housing Corp. as the head organization in a collaborative effort and the city’s Department of Metropolitan Development as the lead partner.
The White House says the partners will work to attract higher-wage employment, improve transit, address physical and mental health concerns among residents, and boost crime prevention efforts, among other goals.
It’s the second Indiana Promise Zone, after one on Indianapolis’ east side designated last year.