Revitalizing Cities
Jim Himes will bring extensive public and private sector experience to rebuilding neighborhoods and reinvesting in our cities.
During his time working at an affordable housing non-profit, Jim Himes worked extensively on urban restoration and anti-poverty projects, and he will bring that expertise with him to Congress to invest in redeveloping cities like Bridgeport that have struggled to attract private investment. Part of the answer is a simple matter of resources-distressed cities are unlikely to get back on track on the basis of their property tax bases alone. Consequently, Jim will work to bring federal resources to these communities, particularly to cover the upfront costs of work-such as cleaning up brownfields-that will help cities and towns work towards greater self-sufficiency.
Spurring Investment and Growing Our Local Economy
As someone who has built affordable housing and studied urban poverty, Jim Himes knows how to get our cities back on track. The simple truth is that struggling cities cannot turn themselves around on their own tax base - they need an infusion of outside capital to begin to change. The answer begins with a federal representative who will direct resources to the areas that need them most. Simple measures like fully funding Head Start, investing in Enterprise Zones, and fully funding the Community Development Block Grant Program will provide an important first step to revitalizing our cities.
Green Cities, Green Jobs
The best thing we can do for our cities is start creating good jobs. We can do this by expanding already existing federal programs to bring more green development and green collar jobs to Stamford and Bridgeport. The Low Income Housing Tax Credit already provides local authorities with attractive means of encouraging local developers to build affordable housing. By creating incentives for green building within these programs, we can create jobs, improve the health and welfare of our citizens, and protect the environment.
Despite the success of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and Community Development Block grants, these programs do not promote green building as effectively as they could. The reason for this is simple: although green building saves money in the long run, in the short run it requires an added cash expenditure that adds to the total construction cost of the job. Thus, an injection of capital exclusively devoted to green building would promote green cities without costing the government, the builder, or the resident more in the long run.
Jim has proposed an innovative program where the federal government would guarantee bank loans for green expenditures. By guaranteeing loans already likely to yield positive returns, we can encourage green building without putting out a single additional federal dollar.
Improving Our Schools to Empower Youth
Educated citizens are the backbone of a healthy economy and a vibrant community. If we want our kids to value education and succeed in school, we need to invest in creating inviting and productive school environments. That begins with renovating school facilities that are unsafe, unhealthy, or excessively distracting. Many of our schools, particularly in our cities, are literally falling apart. Nationwide, many teachers report working in classrooms with crumbling walls, rodent infestations, poor lighting, inadequate ventilation, and severe overcrowding. A national study recently confirmed that poor internal environments in our schools take a real toll on the health, performance, and attendance of students.
Our school buildings should reflect the value we place on education as a society. In Congress, Jim will support legislation to extend and increase the availability of school modernization bonds that enable local school districts to undertake needed repairs and renovations. Under this model, the federal government effectively waives the interest on eligible loans for school modernization and expansion projects, substantially reducing the cost of these jobs. Revitalizing and modernizing our schools will yield a more productive and competitive labor force in our cities, further encouraging companies to locate here while equipping our children to start their own businesses as well.
