| The city of Hartford, Connecticut faces significant challenges in the areas of economic development, housing, workforce development, and serving special needs populations. Hartford's small geographic size - it covers only 18 square miles - exacerbates these challenges. Close to 50 percent of both the African-American and Latino communities in the Greater Hartford area now reside in the inner ring of the suburbs rather than within the city of Hartford, causing a major drain of resources and leadership from the city. In addition, the urban problems affecting Hartford are beginning to impact adjacent communities.
Due to these factors, it has become evident in recent years that the city's urban problems must be solved within a regional context. Several organizations and entities, both public and private, have been created to reflect this reality. However, there is no regional organization through which residents of the metropolitan Hartford area can work together on their common agendas.
Hartford residents are younger, poorer, less educated, and less likely to be in the labor force than other residents of the Capitol region. While the region is the nation's 13th most prosperous metropolitan area, more than 25 percent of city residents have incomes below the poverty level and only 50 percent of adults are in the labor force. Out-migration to the suburbs has exacerbated the trend toward deterioration and abandonment of rental properties. With fewer than 25 percent of its residents owning their own homes, Hartford is hard pressed to generate the revenues needed to support its revitalization. While personal income in Connecticut grew 14.2 percent between 1993 and 1996, Hartford was one of only 4 Connecticut municipalities that recorded a decline (8.7 percent) in the average State income tax paid by city residents.
Trinity College, a small liberal arts college located in the city of Hartford, created its Center for Neighborhoods (TCN) with COPC funds in 1994. TCN now provides resources, technical assistance, and training to 16 Hartford neighborhoods in the areas of community organizing and capacity building. The COPC has focused on helping the neighborhoods strengthen their democratic community organizations so that residents can participate in identifying priorities and solving problems.
Using a New Directions Grant, Trinity will help its community partners create "Metro Hartford," a regional organization that will bring urban and suburban residents together to solve many of the metropolitan area's problems. The organization will eventually involve 40 community organizations, congregations, and civic groups.
Project matching funds of over $600,000 are being contributed by the United Way; the Campaign for Human Development; the Hartford Literacy Task Force; the Heublein, Durdna, Connecticut Health, and Mortesen foundations, and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
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