Policy Resolution BED-23-25

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) believes that the vision of a free and fair America has always faced challenges due to the fact that specific communities. have suffered from a noticeable lack of resources;

WHEREAS, the lack of critical resources, commonly called deserts, causes individuals in under resourced and under-served communities to be insufficiently prepared to grow, prosper, and improve their well-being equitably, that is, to be socially mobile;

WHEREAS, there are organizations like the Equitable Growth Fund, a 501c(3) non-profit that focuses on addressing deserts by investing financial and human resources into zip codes that lack access to health, finances, food, education, transportation, and other resources;

WHEREAS, it is important to precisely identify and measure where these deserts exist so that. resources can be appropriately surged into areas to improve the quality of life and upward mobility of people in every zip code throughout this country;

WHEREAS, the NBCSL ratified Resolution BED-22-47, ELIMINATING HEALTH CARE, FOOD, AND CREDIT DESERTS, endorsed efforts to identify deserts and direct resources to the communities that are most in need;

WHEREAS, it is critical to measure every zip code in this country to improve the likelihood that every citizen has access to resources that are necessary to enhance their quality and quantity of life;

WHEREAS, there are resources like the Community Resource Vulnerability Indices to measure and help address health, financial, food, education, transportation, and other vulnerabilities and deserts;

WHEREAS, the Social Mobility Index (SMI) is an index prepared by the Equitable Growth Fund that measures the lifespan and ability of residents in any zip code to build wealth and improve their social, health, and financial conditions;

WHEREAS, the Social Mobility Index is focused on studying opportunities and limitations that impact residents in every zip code and their ability to improve their conditions measurably;

WHEREAS, the Community Resource Vulnerability Index (CRVI) is an index prepared by the Equitable Growth Fund that measures the susceptibility of communities to build wealth and

improve their social, health, and financial conditions due to lacking access to appropriate healthcare, educational, food, banking and financial, and housing resources, and

WHEREAS, the CRVI also focuses on violent crime, political under-representation due to gerrymandering, women’s choice, an environment poisoned by chemical or industrial waste, and flooding, fires, or other symptoms of extreme weather owing to climate change in every zip code in a city, state, and throughout the country;

WHEREAS, the Community Resource Vulnerability Index is focused on studying and encouraging public and private investment in every zip code to ensure the equitable access toneeded resources for every resident;

WHEREAS, qualitative measurement tools are critical to determine and ensure the equitable allocation of desperately needed resources in every zip code resulting in measurable improvements in the lives of residents; and

WHEREAS, it is critical to develop organizations like Georgians for Equitable Resources (GFRE), an organization that uses the indices to improve the quality of life of under-resourced zip codes throughout Georgia.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators applauds the development of and encourages the use of the Social Mobility Index (SMI) and the Community Resource Vulnerability Index (CRVI) and other similar indexes to measure and invest in zip codes that have been historically denied suitable access to desperately needed resources;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will continue to work with organizations like the Equitable Growth Fund to measure the mobility and resource vulnerabilities in every zip code throughout this country;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will encourage the use of these indices by local, state, and national elected and appointed leaders to increase the likelihood that every zip code is equitably allocated needed resources to improve residents’ quality of life; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.

• Resolution ID: BED-23-25
• Sponsored by: Rep. Kim Schofield (GA), Rep. Sandra Scott (GA), Rep. Karen Camper (TN)
• Policy Committee: Business and Economic Development (BED)