Low- and moderate-income issues in New England
Current Issue
Spring 2012
Contents
The Role of Immigrants in the New England Economy
by Pia M. Orrenius and Madeline Zavodny
Although some natives compete with immigrants for jobs, natives with contrasting skills often owe their jobs to immigrants. Two economists assess the role of immigrants in New England.
Mapping New England: Poverty Rates by County 
by Ana Patricia Muñoz, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
In 2010, 11 percent of New England residents had incomes below the poverty line, compared with 15 percent in the nation as whole. Check the status of your own state.
Gleaning: Capturing Surplus to Meet Local Needs
by Corinne Almquist
Excess produce often gets plowed under despite food banks’ need for fresh vegetables. Enter the ancient art of gleaning, which ensures that good but unsold food gets to hungry families.
Structured Financing Benefits the Environment and Communities
by Walter Graff and Rob Burbank, Appalachian Mountain Club
For its ambitious North Woods Initiative, the Appalachian Mountain Club turned to a Coastal Enterprises Inc. subsidiary, tapping its knowledge of New Markets Tax Credits for rural areas.
The Growth of Latino Small Businesses in Providence
by Kerry Spitzer and Sol Carbonell, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
A positive trend recorded before the financial crisis—when Providence’s Latino-owned businesses grew in number from 731 in 1997 to 2,999 in 2007—may hold promise for the future.
Getting Community Input: A Better Way to Plan
by Jane Lafleur, Friends of Midcoast Maine
What is the value of a visioning process? For one thing, a town’s planning decisions get more buy-in when residents know they have been heard. The author describes three successes.
Infrastructure Investment Begins with Children
by Mav Pardee, Children’s Investment Fund
Early childhood education may be the highest-return public investment, but the condition of poor neighborhoods’ child-care centers undermines effectiveness. A new study offers solutions.
Rhode Island Changes the Creative Economy
by Drake Patten, The Steel Yard
Creative-economy success measures seldom capture the value of arts initiatives that empower the poor. The author recommends a new approach.
Credentials that Work: Innovations in Labor-Market Information
by John Dorrer, Myriam Milfort, and Jeremy Kelley, Jobs for the Future
Job-creation initiatives need good information about what skills are in demand. A program that searches want ads supplements traditional labor-market information.
Making Cuts in State Aid More Equitable
by Bo Zhao and David Coyne, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Revenue shortfalls have forced states to cut aid to municipalities. The authors suggest a way to make cuts without dismantling years of efforts to help the neediest communities.
The Need for Financial Education in New Bedford
by Michael D. Goodman and the UMass Dartmouth Policy Analysis Research Team
Master’s students study New Bedford, Massachusetts, and find a lack of awareness of local, low-cost banking options. They recommend financial education specifically targeted to lowincome individuals.
Articles may be reprinted if Communities & Banking and the author are credited and the following disclaimer is used: "The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston or the Federal Reserve System. Information about organizations and upcoming events is strictly informational and not an endorsement."
Stay Connected
