CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Each of the case studies described in this report highlights a different approaches to addressing the problems faced by residents of the Lower Mississippi Delta. While each case study represents a response to very specific needs identified in a particular geographical area, several common themes emerge.

The case studies indicate that several critical ingredients are necessary for putting together a successful project to address the needs in the Delta. Local groups need determination and persistence to overcome various barriers including those resulting from the Delta’s legacy of segregation. The creation of partnerships and collaborations is often helpful for implementing housing development projects in remote parts of the Delta. Partners bring new resources and skills that help add to the capacity of the local group. They can also secure community support for a project and circumvent problems that may arise as a result of the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) syndrome.

Local groups should also capitalize on the opportunity to engage the participation and support of locally elected officials in the development process. African-American elected officials, as beneficiaries of the voting rights battles fought and won, have a vested interest and commitment to supporting development in the community they represent.

Much of the success of a housing project in the Delta is also dependent upon strong community outreach and the personal relationships cultivated with participating families. Careful counseling prevents delinquencies and helps families maintain their houses in good condition. Familiarity with participating families helps facilitate early intervention in the event of a crisis.

Finally, effecting change in the Delta requires long term commitment. Local groups and other interested entities need to accept this reality, and not be disheartened when they do not see immediate results, or are faced with obstructions and delays.

Each of the case studies also indicates that there is a dire need for capacity development in the Delta. Many areas require the creation of local nonprofits to undertake development work. In addition, existing nonprofit organizations are always in search of operating support, flexible funding sources, and training and technical assistance. While these needs are echoed by groups everywhere in rural America, in the Delta they are compounded by the magnitude of the problems and a long history of neglect.

Based on prior experience and intimate knowledge of the Delta, participants in the Delta initiative co-convened by HAC and USDA have developed several recommendations for addressing the problems in the Delta. The experiences and needs highlighted by the case studies serve to support and endorse these suggestions. The proposed recommendations are intended to strengthen existing development efforts and suggest a broad framework for designing a comprehensive assistance strategy for the Delta. They are grouped under two categories:

Initiating Structural Change in the Delta

The problems and needs prevalent in Delta counties from Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana indicate that these areas have more in common with each other than with the rest of their states. Though the Delta is widely acknowledged as a geographic region, this identity of place is not often considered in the development of public policies and programs. This is compounded by the fact that most assistance providers and resource groups break up the region by states into categories that suit their administrative requirements. A potential approach to shaping a regional perspective for the Delta would be the creation of a Delta Rural Development Council. Council membership would include representatives of federal, state, local and tribal governments from each of the three states, as well as members of for-profit and nonprofit organizations. These groups would be expected to voluntarily join together to improve and ultimately direct the way rural development activities within the Delta are conducted. Participation in the council would not be driven by access to program dollars; rather, the council would aim to use existing resources more effectively. The governance structure of the council would evolve as members move forward in trying to implement priorities. However, it would certainly institute greater local control over the allocation of resources in the Delta. Once created, the Delta council could undertake a number of initiatives that involve information and resource sharing between the Delta regions of the three states including policy and planning issues, communication and outreach activities, and undertaking demonstration projects. This approach would help make strides in affecting the way change and development occurs in the Delta.

Facilitating Resource and Capital Development for the Delta

Persistent poverty and uneven distribution and underutilization of available resources restrict the ability of distressed rural communities to create positive change in the Delta. Systematic disinvestment and lack of new resource delivery to the Delta were cited by Delta initiative participants as major obstacles. The creation of partnerships and collaborations between religious, philanthropic, government, and corporate interests, and local community groups would facilitate new development efforts in the Delta. Collaboration would enable local entities to explore cost-sharing approaches to meeting local needs, improve coordination between organizations, and help local groups transcend boundaries of policy making and program implementation. Other recommendations include the design and creation of special lending and credit enhancement mechanisms such as community development financial institutions, community development loan funds, and community credit unions to help address some of the credit need of the Delta. Finally, targeted set-asides of key public and private programs would help leverage additional investment for community development in the Delta.

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