The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Initiative for Renewal Communities, Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (RC/EZ/EC) is important to development within distressed urban and rural areas nationwide. The RC/EZ/EC Initiative assists residents and businesses in economically depressed areas opportunities and resources to improve their neighborhoods.

The Initiative has helped communities create jobs, improve housing and healthcare in urban areas, improving the lives of thousands of Americans. For more information about the HUD and the RC/EZ/EC Initiative, visit http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/ezec/index.cfm

The Rural Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program is designed to afford rural communities real opportunities growth and revitalization. The framework of the program is embodied in four key principles of Economic Opportunity, Sustainable Community Development, Community-based Partnerships, and Strategic Vision for Change.

For information on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural EZ/EC program, visit http://www.ezec.gov/

Technical assistance for EZ/EC communities is available online at http://aspe.hhs.gov/ezec. Communities can find information on how health is linked to economic development, tools and models for improving health in their communities, and success stories from EZ/ECs.