During his 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama proposed an initiative to combat urban poverty called Promise Neighborhoods. A Promise Neighborhood (PN) is a multifaceted anti-poverty program that addresses the needs of children and their families in areas of concentrated poverty.
Obama drew inspiration from the accomplishments of the Harlem ChildrenÕs Zone (HCZ). HCZ, founded by Geoffrey Canada, is a results-driven, place-based initiative that aims to break the generational cycle of poverty and transform Harlem.
From January through July 2009, the Chicago Policy Research Team (CPRT) in the Public Policy Studies Program at the University of Chicago analyzed the possibility of implementing a Promise Neighborhood in Chicago through policy analysis and extensive field research. This report summarizes the CPRTÕs findings and recommendations.