The Eastside Promise Zone
What is The Promise Zone?
The Eastside Promise Zone is a 22-sq. mile geographic area of the Eastside of San Antonio. In 2014, President Obama designated it as one of the first five nationally recognized Promise Zones. The designation lasts for 10-years and the place-based initiative is designed to provide Eastside resident with "ladders of opportunity."
Click below to read the most recent Promise Zone Newsletter.
Accomplishments on the Eastside
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Decreased unemployment from 11.2% in 2011 to 9.8% in 2016
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Increased the median household income by $2,000 since 2011 (from $26,583 to $28,400)
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Added over 1,200 jobs to the Promise Zone since 2014
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20% decrease in property crimes (compared to >1% decrease citywide) since 2014
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68% increase in code enforcement cases as part of the City’s proactive effort to decrease blight
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Opened a one-stop workforce training center, the Eastside Education and Training Center, in partnership with Alamo Colleges to provide job training opportunities in high demand occupations
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Graduated 300+ residents from job training programs
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Launched a second chance pilot program in partnership with Chrysalis Ministries to provide job training opportunities to ex-offenders
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Graduated 105 residents from the Neighborhood Leadership Academy
This list is just a fraction of how far the Eastside Promise Zone has come since 2014. To learn more about the movement that is happening on the Eastside of San Antonio, click here. We look forward to continuing our work and improving the quality of life on the Eastside of San Antonio through SAGE and the Neighborhood and Housing Service Department.
The Coordinating Council
SAGE understands that revitalizing the Eastside Promise Zone (EPZ) can only be accomplished with multi-sectoral collaboration. Therefore, SAGE collaborates with COSA, United Way, Bexar County, the San Antonio Housing Authority, SAISD, St. Philip's College, Goodwill, UTSA, HUD, and other agencies who form part of the Coordinating Council. This council is the governing body of the EPZ. The Council’s purpose is to set high level strategic direction for diverse investment efforts in the EPZ. This is where major institutions and community representatives collaborate to advance a collective impact agenda.
To enact our improvement efforts, we utilize a collective impact approach to advance this vision, build on the significant accomplishments to date, and collectively pursue shared goals led by the EPZ Coordinating Council.
AmeriCorps
Founded in 1994, AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 Americans in intensive service each year at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country.
AmeriCorps VISTA, an AmeriCorps program, provides full-time members to create and expand programs that bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty.
All Promise Zones receive five full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members to recruit and manage volunteers and strengthen the capacity of the Promise Zone initiatives. SAGE is proud to provide a learning experience for each VISTA throughout their one year service.
