New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is calling on the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to designate Rochester a federal Promise Zone. That's an initiative started by President Obama to bring federal and private investment to revitalize 20 high-poverty communities across the country.
Gillibrand met last week with Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and the senator notes that the Census Bureau estimates that over one-third of the city's population lives in poverty, with more than 50 percent of the children meeting that criteria.
Gillibrand says a 'promise zone' designation would allow Rochester to increase public and private investments in community programs that have proven records in helping deal with poverty, crime, economic sustainability and education.
