Table of Contents

- Talking Points

- Sample Resolution

- Sample Petition

- Resources

Contact Information

Karen Dolan
Director, Cities for Progress/Cities for Peace
Fellow,
Institute for Policy Studies
1112 16th St NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
kdolan@igc.org
202.234.9382 x228

The Proposed White House Office of Urban Policy (OUP)

President Obama and Vice President Biden will create a White House Office of Urban Policy to develop a strategy for metropolitan America and to ensure that all federal dollars targeted to urban areas are effectively spent on the highest-impact programs. The Director of Urban Policy will report directly to the president and coordinate all federal urban programs.

"Americans work harder than the people of any other wealthy nation. We are willing to tolerate more economic instability and are willing to take more personal risks to get ahead. But we can only compete if our government makes the investments that give us a fighting chance -- and if we know our families have some net beneath which they cannot fall." -- Barack Obama, "The Audacity of Hope"

As a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, President Obama learned firsthand that urban poverty is more than just a function of not having enough in your pocketbook. It's also a matter of where you live -- in some of our inner-city neighborhoods, poverty is difficult to escape because it's isolating and it's everywhere. Our job across America is to create communities of choice, not of destiny, and create conditions for neighborhoods where the odds are not stacked against the people who live there. President Obama is committed to leading a new federal approach to America's high-poverty areas, an approach that facilitates the economic integration of families and communities with efforts to support the current low-income residents of those areas

SAMPLE OFFICE OF URBAN POLICY RESOLUTION

A RESOLUTION requesting that the proposed Office of Urban Policy in President Obama’s administration form a permanent advisory group to help guide that office in its efforts to provide assistance to our nation’s urban areas.

WHEREAS, urban areas now house over 80 percent of our population with close to 20% of our nation’s total population residing in cities with populations above 200,000; and

WHEREAS, (insert your city name here) ranks among the larger metropolitan areas in the United States, with a population of about (insert your city population number here); and

WHEREAS, large cities in the United States face many of the same challenges in planning an urban infrastructure that meets the future work and living requirements of growing populations; and

WHEREAS, there is a wealth of expertise and experience in cities, such as (insert your city name here) among their public officials and administrators, urban planners, academic and research professionals, and community activists who are engaged in trying to identify solutions for these challenges; and

WHEREAS, a newly created Office of Urban Policy could greatly assist cities, like (insert your city name here), in identifying common challenges that face large, urban populations; in sharing their experience and expertise; and in facilitating solutions to those common challenges; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF (insert your city name here), THAT:

Section 1. The ____________________________ City Council joins the City Councils of Cleveland, Denver, Indianapolis, Seattle, and Winston-Salem in recommending to President Obama that a broad and diverse advisory group be created to help the proposed Office of Urban Policy reach out to cities across the country to assist them in working to adopt best practices available to improve the quality of life for urban residents and for those who work and do business in our cities.

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Sample Press Release

News Release

City of Seattle

Seattle City Council

Councilmember Nick Licata Contact:

Nick Licata (206) 684-5330 or (206) 679-5142

Kimberly Reason, Council Communications (206) 684.8159

For Immediate Release:

February 19, 2009

Cities Offer Voice to White House Urban Affairs Office

Advisory group would be unique mix of urban representatives

SEATTLE – Over a dozen city councils have passed resolutions or sent letters to the Obama administration calling for a nation-wide advisory group to inform the work of the newly formed White House Office of Urban Affairs. Additional cities are poised to pass similar resolutions. The office is expected to focus on investments and development in urban areas that create employment and housing opportunities.

“With the recent enactment of a national stimulus plan,” said Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata, who originated the call for an advisory group, “I expect the administration will welcome advice from a diverse group of elected officials, academics, planners, and community leaders. This group could, within government, personify the kind of grass roots influence that proved so beneficial to the Obama team when it was working outside of government.”

Licata will propose a plan to the White House for how such a large and diverse group can effectively serve the Office of Urban Affairs. Licata formed the National League of Cities’ Large Cities Council a few years ago.

Doug Shields, Pittsburgh’s Council President, said, “A National Advisory Council to the President's Office of Urban Affairs would be a valuable vehicle for providing insight, resources and real world experiences to the formulation of mutually beneficial policies.”

In addition to Seattle, other cities having issued resolutions, proclamations, or letters include Atlanta, Chapel Hill, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Wichita and Winston-Salem.

The cities’ call for an advisory group coincides with the recent announcement of Adolfo Carrion being named director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs and Derek Douglas as special assistant to the president for urban affairs.

“While the appointment of Adolfo Carrion Jr. is a good first step, it doesn’t go far enough." remarked Cleveland City Councilmember Matthew Zone. "My hope is that the Obama Administration will respond to these larger cities of our country by forming an advisory group for the Office of Urban Affairs."

Resources

For more information on the proposed OUP, please visit:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/urban_policy/

(01/20/2009)

For more information on Barack Obama’s urban policy please visit:

http://origin.barackobama.com/issues/urban_policy/