Congresswoman Waters’ $4 Billion Solutions

By Conway Jones

U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, (D. CA.) was the keynote speaker this last Saturday at a symposium focused on building capacity in the local small business community through non-race based strategies. The symposium was co-hosted by the Oakland Citizens’ Committee for Urban Renewal (OCCUR) and the Emerging Contractors’ Fund, Inc.
Waters said that she had authored new legislation to put $4 billion into the collapsed housing industry. Some of the proposed funds would be available to refurbish houses that were in foreclosure to make them “market ready’ for the housing industry to remarket.
The symposium participants presented strategies on how to create public-private alliances with local developments and learned of approaches that could boost the local economy by expanding the capacity of local vendors.
Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee commended her colleague, Waters’ for leading the symposium. She said,” The meeting provided strategies that promote long-term and sustainable growth.”
David Glover, Executive Director of OCCUR, said the symposium “provided valuable strategies, insights and firsthand lessons for local contractors and vendors as we continue to confront the opportunity gap in an era of monumental economic challenges.” He continued by saying, “OCCUR is committed to the goals of equity participation and elevating fairness in contracting, employment, procurement and supplier diversity.”
“OCCUR wants to do its part to help close the opportunity gap for contractors and related fields. Recent disparity studies confirm that the blueprint for success may be passed on in order to share a more hopeful future for the vast number of minorities that have been passed over,” said Glover.