Community Development: Status of Urban Empowerment Zones
RCED-97-21
Published: Dec 20, 1996. Publicly Released: Jan 10, 1997.
Skip to Highlights
Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community (EZ/EC) Program, focusing on the: (1) status of the program's implementation in the urban EZs, including the extent to which public housing officials and residents have been involved; (2) factors that participants believe have either helped or hindered efforts to carry out the program; and (3) plans for evaluating the program.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Housing and Urban Development | The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development should work with the EZs to establish a process for incorporating measurable outcomes for the program's principles into any future revisions of the EZs' strategic plans and benchmarks. Among other things, this process should describe the outcomes anticipated from the EZs' activities, indicate how the outcomes will be measured, and identify the benchmarks helping to achieve each outcome. |
Closed – Implemented
In December 1998, HUD implemented an automated performance measurement system that is responsive to this recommendation. The system is Internet-based, links progress to one or more of the program's four key principles, and includes performance measurement information, such as outcome measures.
|
Full Report
Office of Public Affairs
Topics
Block grantsCommunity development programsComparative analysisIntergovernmental fiscal relationsPerformance measuresProgram evaluationState-administered programsStrategic planningUrban economic developmentEconomic development