An ‘east-west divide’

CITY LEADERS in Cranston are looking to address a growing division and economic segregation between two geographical sections of the city. Pictured is Cranston City Hall. / COURTESY FEDERAL RESERVE
CITY LEADERS in Cranston are looking to address a growing division and economic segregation between two geographical sections of the city. Pictured is Cranston City Hall. / COURTESY FEDERAL RESERVE

Problem: Despite marginal population growth since 2000, the Cranston Working Cities team says the city is losing economic ground, as the poverty rate has grown from 8 percent in 2000 to 11.2 percent in 2010. A growing economic divide between eastern Cranston and western Cranston is also creating what the team called a “racial divide” in the city.

Pitch: To address the growing division and economic segregation between the two geographical sections of the city by leveraging private-public partnership to expand social and economic opportunities.

“IF YOU LOOK at recent census data, our population has increased in size, but some of the median family income has dropped, so we’ve lost a little bit of economic ground and seen an increase in poverty rates,” said Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung. “There’s always been an east-west divide. In the eastern side you see poverty rates are higher … and there’s somewhat of a cultural divide as well.”

Fung, who’s one of the leading members of Working Cities in Cranston, is working closely with Cranston Public Library Director Edward Garcia to develop a system that better connects residents with low incomes to resources, including workforce development and help with starting new businesses.

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“We’re seeing a lot of diversity in the service populations,” Garcia said. “It’s the Latino neighborhoods, but also Southeast Asians, Ukrainians, Syrians and more. We want to be able to leverage those cultures and to promote literacy, so it’s an intriguing way for us to be more involved.” •

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