Statement of Sharon Duncan-Jones, Executive Director,
Park Reist Corridor Coalition, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland

Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Human Resources
of the House Committee on Ways and Means

Field Hearing in Baltimore, Maryland, on Welfare Reform

February 14, 2000

Introduction

Hello, I am Sharon Duncan-Jones, Executive Director of the Park Reist Corridor Coalition, Inc. a grassroots nonprofit organization committed to revitalizing the social, economic and environmental infrastructures of Park Heights. Geographically, Park Heights is located in Northwest Baltimore, and it is the single largest neighborhood in Baltimore City. Park Heights is in the 7^th US Congressional District of Maryland. Populated with nearly 40,000 residents which embody 1,733.7 acres, Park Heights is described as the largest urban renewal area in the United States. Park Heights is not an empowerment zone.

Statistical Overview

The social and public health indicators impacting Park Heights reflect a blighted community. Child maltreatment, crime, infant mortality, substance abuse, juvenile crime, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS are the highest in the State. The present economic condition in Park Heights can be linked to past conditions throughout Baltimore. Beginning in the 1970's, manufacturing jobs had begun to fall. Since 1990, Baltimore has suffered a loss of 63,000 manufacturing jobs. Park Heights has experienced economic decline with two major companies relocating out of the community and the city: London Fog, a clothing manufacturer and Park Sausage a meat manufacturer. Park Height's unemployment rate is 22%, and it is well above the city's average.

Yet, despite these blighted conditions, the strength of Park Heights is the resiliency of the residents. Residents who desire to live in a sober, safe and economically sound community.

Assessing Welfare Reform

The big question for today is, has welfare reform worked in Baltimore City and in particular, Park Heights. Depending on how you define success, the answer will differ. Has Maryland been successful in decreasing the welfare roll, welfare dependency, welfare caseloads, yes! Has welfare reform significantly impacted the socioeconomic well-being of Maryland, Baltimore City, Park Heights, no! No because, obtaining employment is not enough in changing human behavior. Our families and communities need intensive family-centered services that focuses on building the individual, their families and communities.

Promising Socioeconomic Approach to Welfare Reform

However, there is hope. The Baltimore City Department of Social Services' new Northwest Project is very promising because the three-year initiative which commenced October 1999, leverages lessons learned from social service delivery and welfare reform. The new initiative begins to boldly and realistically address the socioeconomic barriers to obtaining self-sufficiency. The small-generic caseloads ( 1:clinican to 8 families) enhance family and community capacity. The project's goal is to infiltrate Park Heights with intense family-centered services. Thus far, the community's response has been incredible. Mainly because a governmental agency finally gets it! Comprehensive approaches to welfare reform are cost effective and they can work!

Creative and Common-Sense Approach & Strategies

Let's continue to be creative and use common sense approaches to enhance the effectiveness of welfare reform. Spend the funds wisely. Invest in the human spirit. I have a few suggestions:

• Maximize family-centered services to assist employers in reducing job retention.

• Pool multi-agencies resources like HUD, EPA, Department of Commerce, Justice Department, Education Department and CDC to maximize family and community capacity to be sober, safe and economically sound.
• Establish linkages with community-based revitalization initiatives and welfare reform

When doing so, we systemically leverage critical resources like health care, education, community development and job training services.

• Utilize the unique capacity of faith-based institutions to further nurture the human spirit of families and communities.
• Invest in communities to enhance the local economy on a neighborhood-level by advocating for job training to restore the basic retail services like dry-cleaners, bakeries and family restaurants. Let's start designing healthy and family-friendly communities.

Bottom-line, poverty cost; poverty left to fester carries an intergenerational price tag that we

can not afford. Getting a job is not enough. Strengthening people, families and the socioeconomic infrastructure of communities will yield positive and sustainable results in America, Maryland, Baltimore City and Park Heights.

Thank you for the opportunity to share the reality of life in Park Heights with welfare reform.