The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing many thinly veiled ills of urban America into stark relief. As already low-wage workers find themselves without pay, ripple effects such as food and housing insecurity show the importance of ensuring all people experience economic security.

A new series of briefs from the Shared Prosperity Partnership details state policies to promote inclusive economies and advance economic security.  The series, State Policies to Promote Shared Prosperity in Cities, explores why job growth, affordable housing, and upskilling workers matter to economic security and identifies what states can do to create better outcomes in each area.  Authored by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and the Urban Institute, the briefs also spotlight states that are leading the way and explore how state and local governments can partner to address these issues.

Three things the briefs share states can do to advance economic security and inclusive growth are:

• Provide financial assistance and incentives to help cities expand and preserve affordable rental housing;
• Expand funding and programmatic support for apprenticeships; and
• Create high wage jobs through targeted industry incentives and policies.

States leading in these areas include Texas, Oregon and Rhode Island.

Kresge’s American Cities Program convened the Shared Prosperity Partnership in 2018 to unite the Kresge Foundation and some of its most respected partners in the fields of community development and urban problem-solving: Aspen Institute Center on Urban Innovation, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, Living Cities, and the Urban Institute. Together, we provide coordinated data, research, technical assistance and philanthropic dollars to local leaders in eight cities to advance each city’s goal of achieving shared prosperity.

In Shared Prosperity Partnership cities, local leaders are igniting changes to create more inclusive economies. The Arlington Community Foundation secured investments from area businesses to improve access to affordable housing and childcare for families living with low incomes in the Arlington region. The Chicago Community Trust recently released a new strategic plan focused on closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap in the Chicago region.

We hope state leaders will do their part to support local leaders working on the ground.  There are clear opportunities for state and city leaders to partner and ensure that economic opportunities are shared among more families and communities statewide.

To read the briefs, visit www.sharedprosperitypartnership.org/state-policies. Begin with the series framing piece State Policies to Promote Shared Prosperity in Cities, and read all three briefs: How States Can Support Shared Prosperity by Promoting Human Capital Development; How States Can Support Shared Prosperity by Promoting Quality Jobs; and How States Can Support Shared Prosperity by Promoting Affordable Rental Housing.

About The Shared Prosperity Partnership

The Shared Prosperity Partnership cities include: Arlington, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; Cleveland, Ohio; Fresno, California; Kansas City, Missouri; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota; and Memphis; Tennessee. The partnership has produced local roundtables in each city to spark dialogue among practitioners and supports ongoing work, as well as evidence-based policy at the state and national levels.

Chantel Rush is managing director of Kresge’s American Cities Program. Follow the team on Twitter @kresgecities. Follow the Shared Prosperity Partnership @SP2cities.