Press Releases

Miami, FL — Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) will host a Green Impact Zone initiative workshop to help South Florida cities in district 24 access federal funds to revitalize their urban cores. The workshop will be held Thursday, September 4, 2014, at the Double Tree Grand Hotel in Miami. Elected officials and representatives of district 24's municipalities are invited to attend.

Since the elimination of earmarks in the federal budget process, cities are having a difficult time accessing federal dollars for community improvements and economic development. Congresswoman Wilson has invited Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), an award winning former Kansas City Mayor, to Miami to work with local municipalities on how to access federal funds. In 2009, Congressman Cleaver introduced the Green Impact Zone of Missouri and with the aid of close to $200 million dollars in federal funds transformed parts of Kansas City's declining urban core and created hundreds of jobs.

"There are billions of dollars in the federal budget that are left untapped annually because cities are not aware of the process for acquiring these funds.

It is vital that municipalities in district 24 attend this workshop and take advantage of the resources the federal government has to offer. It is also important that the public understands the role of their elected officials in ascertaining important assistance that tax payers pay into," said Congresswoman Wilson.

WHO: Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Anita Maltbia,

Former Executive Director Green Impact Zone Missouri, local elected officials
and public and private community redevelopment agencies

WHAT: Green Impact Zone Workshop

WHEN: Thursday, September 4, 2014, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Double Tree Grand Hotel, Ballroom, 1717 N. Bayshore Drive, Miami, FL 33132