The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has played an integral role in the planning, development, implementation and ongoing success of the Empowerment Zone (EZ) and Enterprise Community (EC) Initiative. When President Clinton first announced this Initiative, HUD and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were named as joint lead implementing agencies for this program. HUD would administer the urban part of the EZ/EC initiative, while USDA would administer the rural portion of the program.

HUD’s most important role as lead implementing agency is to share information about successful revitalization strategies with other designees. HUD communicates with the urban EZ/ECs principally through satellite broadcasts and monthly teleconferences. HUD also uses a broadcast fax machine to distribute EZ/EC information to several hundred stakeholders several times a month. These transmissions, called FLASH FAXES, describe best practices from our EZ/ECs, federal funding opportunities, key Administration Initiatives, and other useful information.

HUD holds live satellite broadcasts to provide EZ/ECs with convenient outlets for receiving technical assistance. These broadcasts are transmitted to EZ/ECs around the country and to HUD, state and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) staff who work closely with the EZ/ECs. Topics have included Welfare-To-Work, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Brownfields Redevelopment and Marketing Financial Incentives. Recently, two satellite broadcasts were held for HUD staff working on the annual EZ/EC review process. These broadcasts are now available on video tapes and via re-broadcasts.

HUD staff also make ample use of telephone technology to communicate regularly with EZ/EC staff and HUD field personnel. Information on funding availability, as well as spot features of programs administered by the EPA, HHS, HUD, the Departments of Education & Labor and the Treasury Department is shared during monthly conference calls with designees and other HUD staff. These monthly conference calls allow EZ/ECs to discuss questions with HUD staff on legislation, regulations and policy. Importantly, the conference calls serve as a forum to share experiences and best practices among one another. In addition, HUD provides those interested in the EZ/EC Initiative with a toll-free number (800-998-9999) to access information about the EZ/EC Initiative. This number gets over 300 calls a month and has proven a valuable vehicle to communicate with our EZ/ECs and others.

HUD works closely with the EZ/ECs to identify and provide solutions to problems encountered as strategic plans are being implemented. To date, HUD has provided technical assistance for over 60 projects. This technical assistance can take several different forms. In May, 1999, HUD undertook technical assistance efforts to promote retail and shopping center development opportunities in urban EZ/ECs. This was accomplished by assisting the EZ/ECs with locating retail providers in their communities, and by marketing EZ/EC communities at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV. In the Spring 2000, HUD developed a detailed tax guide for businesses in the EZs and ECs

Each year, HUD hosts an annual EZ/EC Technical Assistance Conference in conjunction with the Community Empowerment Board (CEB) and USDA. HUD also hosts Regional EZ/EC Technical Assistance Conferences periodically.

• The 1998 White House Technical Assistance Conference, called “Opening Doors to the New Economy,” was held from July 14-16 in Washington, D.C. Over 2,200 persons attended the Conference, which helped to prepare communities for the Round II EZ competition.
  
  
• The 1999 White House Technical Assistance Conference, called “Tapping America’s Potential: The New Markets for the 21st Century,” was held from May 23-27 in Edinburg, Texas. Over 700 persons attended the Conference.
  
  
• The 2000 White House Community Empowerment Conference, called "Investing in America's Communities," was held June 27-29 in Columbus, Ohio. The Vice President, the Secretaries of HUD, USDA, and other Agencies and several U.S. mayors spoke to more than 1,400 conference attendees.

HUD also operates an "Address Locator" on its EZ/EC web site, which has become a remarkably popular tool among people and businesses interested in the EZ/EC Initiative. The Locator allows an individual or business to determine if any street address is located in an EZ or EC. Since businesses are eligible for certain tax incentives if they are located in EZ/EC areas or hire employees who live in these areas, the Address Locator is especially important to businesses. Since September 1998, the Address Locator has received over 124,730 inquiries. Please visit the locator on the Internet at www.hud.gov/ezec/locator/. You may also access the Address Locator by calling Community Connections at 800-998-9999. Over 26,200 requests for locator service have been made to the "800" number since 1997.

To satisfy its monitoring and evaluation responsibilities under Rounds I and II, the EZ/EC Initiative Office at HUD Headquarters has instituted a cutting-edge internet-based performance measurement system (PERMS). The EZ/ECs use PERMS to document and evaluate all the projects and programs they are implementing to achieve their local strategic plan. Each year, the EZ/EC designees submit through PERMS an annual performance report which identifies progress made in achieving project/program milestones and output measurements and tracks the performance of EZ/EC governance boards. PERMS not only cuts down on the paperwork burden facing the EZ/ECs, but it also provides HUD with a low-cost mechanism for continually monitoring the progress of each EZ/EC.

To help ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development has assigned a Public Trust Officer (PTO) to monitor and assess the progress of each EZ/EC. The PTOs use the information submitted by the EZ/ECs through PERMS to complete their evaluation of the progress made by individual EZ/ECs. The EZ/EC Initiative Office then uses the PTO assessments and other pertinent information to determine if an EZ/EC will maintain its good standing.