The enduring challenge of concentrated poverty in America: case study of Fresno, California

This report is an expanded version of a case study that appeared as one of 16 community profiles published in ?The Enduring Challenge of Concentrated Poverty in America: Case Studies from Communities Across the U.S.,? a joint project of the Community Affairs Offices of the Federal Reserve System and the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. The intent of this publication is not to explain poverty causation; poor people, and the communities they live in, have been the subject of serious study and debate for decades. Rather, our goal is to add texture to our understanding of where and how concentrated poverty exists by studying new areas and by interviewing local stakeholders?including residents, community leaders, and government representatives?to understand how concentrated poverty affects both individuals and communities. We hope this report will contribute to the public conversation among policymakers and practitioners about the relationship between people and place, and ultimately to a comprehensive policy discussion on poverty alleviation and community reinvestment.