Committee endorses targeting high-poverty Shelby County ZIP codes for Regional 1 hiring

Attorney Van Turner described the Inclusive Economic Development Committee's role and said the committee will work quarterly — more frequently during study completion — to ensure procurement and hiring reflect ZIP-code targets in the resolution. "...we're on a quarterly schedule until the disparity study is completed," Turner said, noting ZIP codes identified in the resolution will be highlighted in procurement documents and hiring expectations.

Members discussed workforce and training beyond design and construction, with Chair Brooks and others urging the committee to include short-term credentialing partners and career-technical partners so residents from the targeted ZIP codes can access a broader set of jobs. "Those high poverty zip codes were referenced not just in relationship to the rebuild, but in relationship to ongoing employment," the chair said, urging inclusion of training programs that do not require multi-year credentials.

Committee members asked for practical outreach steps. Turner and All World representatives said the owner-agent team will incorporate ZIP-code requirements into RFQs/RFPs and that the public-facing dashboard will be circulated to committee members. Members tasked subcommittees to coordinate further and report back in advance of the Feb. 20 committee meeting.

Provenance: topicintro SEG 466; topfinish SEG 536