| The Enterprise Community (EC) of Des Moines, Iowa, is located near the north side of the city, and borders the central business district. Virtually all measures of neighborhood health and well-being illustrate that conditions within the EC clearly are worse than city averages. EC neighborhoods are more racially diverse and have more elderly residents than the rest of Des Moines. They also have lower educational attainment levels, more unemployed residents, more public assistance recipients, and more households with incomes below the poverty level.
The Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) at Iowa State University (ISU) in Des Moines is targeting its activities to the EC and its five neighborhoods: Mondamin Presidential, Chautauqua, King-Irving Park, River Bend, and New Vision and Focus. The EC Steering Committee--a 15-member body appointed by the Des Moines City Council--serves as the COPC advisory committee. In addition, associations in each neighborhood serve as COPC community partners.
Primary COPC activities include supporting a set of studio courses in which ISU graduate and undergraduate students work with EC residents on specific issues facing the community. Studios offered early in the COPC grant period focused on helping local residents formulate neighborhood and EC planning documents. Later studios have addressed specific issues such as affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization.
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