WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Recognizing the important link between strong neighborhoods and healthy communities, the National League of Cities (NLC) and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) today announced a new partnership to help America's local leaders in community development. As a part of LISC's Sustainable Communities Strategy and NLC's ongoing efforts to strengthen communities, the two organizations will work together to provide information on strategies to help cities and towns ensure every neighborhood has a chance to be part of the economic mainstream.
Indianapolis Mayor and NLC President Bart Peterson promoted the collaboration after seeing first-hand the positive effects of his city's partnership with LISC on the Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative, a renewed approach to community development activities across Indianapolis.
"Cities and towns can only be considered successful when there is an opportunity for everyone to participate in the community's success," said Peterson. "With an NLC and LISC partnership, local leaders throughout the country will have access to vital information and resources to help create and maintain successful broad-based community revitalization efforts, like the Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative."
"In our experience, the public/private partnerships that are nearly always necessary for effective community revitalization are inevitably strengthened when there is a constant and open source of information and communication," said Michael Rubinger, LISC's president and CEO. "LISC's alliance with NLC is a logical and necessary step towards assuring that the lessons we have all learned in this business are available to anyone who wants them."
Through their websites, training, technical assistance, conferences and additional venues, NLC and LISC will provide local leaders with information that supports their efforts to meet the fundamental goals of neighborhood revitalization:
-- Expanding investment in housing and other real estate;
-- Increasing family income and wealth;
-- Stimulating economic activity and connecting neighborhoods and
residents to the mainstream economy;
-- Improving access to quality education; and,
-- Supporting healthy environments and lifestyles.
The National League of Cities is the nation's oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. To learn more about NLC and its work, go to http://www.nlc.org/.
LISC combines corporate, government and philanthropic resources to help community-based organizations revitalize underserved neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has raised more than $7.8 billion to build or rehabilitate more than 215,000 affordable homes and develop 30 million square feet of retail, community and educational space nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.lisc.org/.
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
