Bob Woodson and ‘The Poverty Industry’

The Center for Neighborhood Enterprise in Washington is led by Robert Woodson who founded it in 1981 to help neighborhoods where what he calls “the poverty industry” doesn’t seem to help much. He’s torqued that many fellow African Americans have abandoned their poor brothers except to exploit them noting that 70 cents of every welfare dollar goes to social workers, counselors and others. His organization has trained 2,500 field workers in 39 states. He believes that instead of more government programs there is a need for investment in cities.

His alternative method is to find the 30 percent of homes in a neighborhood where there are moms and dads and to work with them to start businesses. His method is not to sue banks or insurance companies, but to arrange meetings to get people to see each other and to hear about proposals such as new housing citing one such project in Detroit.

It’s worked not only in housing, but with tree trimmers, barbers, cab drivers, and locksmiths who have been helped through the maze of regulations that block their entry into the small business market. He’s also a fan of faith-based help to “former drug attics and criminals, who tell you that prison couldn’t change them and a psychiatrist couldn’t change them but a spiritual experience did.” It works!