Specifically, we will (1) discuss principles and dimensions of asset-building policy here on our online fourum. We work with practitioners, policymakers, and others on the subject of asset building how-to for the asset poor.

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Our research over the years has been in the areas of microenterprise, entrepreneurial development, workforce investment workforce development, & employment & training for the asset poor. 

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Workforce Development, Work-activities, work-related activities, state work participation rates, the EITC, SNAP E&T, TANF E&T, & Public Housing E&T are the least understood and least appreciated asset-building strategies.

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The Asset Disparity Of The Asset Poor:

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The asset disparity of the country is the result of policy (Sherraden, 1991, 2000; Corporation for Enterprise Development, 2001).

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Oliver & Shapiro’s (1995) Phrase: 

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Their most memorable and well-documented phrase, 

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“The sediment of past discrimination.”  

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Our nearly $300 billion per year asset-building policy for individuals (Sherraden, 2000) thus rewards: 

1) homeownership, 
2) business ownership, 
3) savings and investment, & pensions 

through the tax system in a way that excludes most of the very people who lack  (assets and tax liability) people we call "the asset poor" of America today.

 

Asset Acquisition By Poor & Low-income People:

Generally we penalized asset acquisition by low-income people through policies ranging from "asset limits & benefit reductions" in:

 

1) income-support programs,

2) the mismanagement of tribal and individual trust funds, and

3) higher effective tax rates on income than capital as examples.

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Inclusive Asset-based Policy & The Poor:

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Inclusive asset policy can be as equally effective with helping to spread the creation of wealth
amongst the asset poor in America.

Our aim is to discuss the important principles of inclusive or progressive asset-based policy & local workforce development system programs or welfare-to-work employment & training programs that includes "congressional" or "federally mandated" work-activities aka work-related activities aka workforce system activities that are required or a requirement for low-income participants to do in exchange for their Welfare or TANF grants/benefits that should keep the working poor participating in the workforce and counts as workforce participation. We will also discuss how this population of people continues to pay their income taxes via our workforce development system programs that includes incentives and each states "Work Verification Plans" that is used to fight or combat fraud & this also includes Child Support as well that is included with Government funded Employment & Training Programs. Below are more important examples of topics for discussion:

 

1) policy design & 

2) policy implementation by contractors involved in the process of service delivery to clients or program participants.

 

 

We explore in more detail about the dimensions and techniques of "asset building strategies" for the working poor of America today under our current workforce development system programs & American Job Centers.