| Benedict College intends to use its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) grant to expand its comprehensive community development efforts to include distressed communities in the seven-county Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area to include Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Newberry, Saluda, Calhoun, and Kershaw Counties. The aforementioned area has a high concentration of poverty and unemployment as documented by regional and state data sources. There are significant rates of crime, substandard housing, and unemployment within the target area. These conditions combine to reduce housing values, increase unemployment rates, and discourage business investment which reduces individual wealth and the quality of life for local residents. The proposed program is entitled COP II (Community Opportunities Program). Benedict is implementing three activities that directly address the identified needs of this area: provide assistance to a community-based development organization (CBDO) to carry out an economic development activity to expand a microenterprise loan program to these seven distressed counties; conduct a special economic development activity to provide technical assistance to small and minority businesses located within these seven counties; and conduct a public service activity to provide housing counseling, job readiness training, and placement assistance for low- to moderate-income persons.
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