Life on "EZ" Street: Linking Community Economic Development to the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Community Policy Goals

Abstract

This is an examination of the literature on community economic development and its relation to the stipulated urban empowerment zone and enterprise community policy goals: economic opportunity, sustainable community development, community-based partnerships, and overall community strategic vision. The central argument is that community development and economic development are simultaneous occurrences. From this theoretical framework the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZEC) program emerges as an effective tool in assisting minority community economic development. Given this context, my objective here is to examine the nature and role of the EZEC program's key principles as a new revitalization strategy in urban revitalization and what these goals may mean for minority communities' and emerging diverse communities' long-term community and economic development.