The Consolidated Plan requires that jurisdictions describe the goals, programs, and policies for reducing the number of poverty level families (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget and revised annually). In consultation with other appropriate public and private agencies, (i.e. TANF agency) grantees must state how the jurisdiction's goals, programs, and policies for producing and preserving affordable housing set forth in the housing component of the consolidated plan will be coordinated with other programs and services for which the jurisdiction is responsible. In addition, the jurisdiction must identify the extent to which this strategy will reduce (or assist in reducing) the number of poverty level families, taking into consideration factors over which it has control.

Some jurisdictions have utilized asset-building approaches to support financial empowerment in collaboration with partners from the private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.  The following examples illustrate how some jurisdictions are implementing antipoverty strategies in the consolidated planning process and identify new approaches that leverage savings into appreciable assets.

Kansas City, MO
Provides a number of programs and services directly and indirectly aimed at increasing household incomes. These include supporting childcare, youth services, food pantry programs, family asset building counseling, job training and placement initiatives. It also includes a goal to implement Section 3 requirements by providing strategic job training and placement to effectively connect very low and low income residents of the Urban Core with employment opportunities associated with HUD funded projects.
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Portland, OR
The consolidated plan for the city of Portland, Oregon, lays out both an anti-poverty plan and an economic opportunity strategy is that targeted to benefit the city's most vulnerable residents - those with incomes in the bottom quarter of all local households.  The Economic Opportunity Initiative includes workforce development projects (supporting the training, placement, and retention of clients in new employment opportunities); microenterprise assistance projects (supporting the ownership and operation of a business with five or fewer employees); and works to increase consumer participation in asset-building projects, (Individual Development Accounts, Earned Income Tax Credit Programs, Child Care Credit Programs).
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Providence, RI
The City’s anti-poverty priorities, strategies, and policies are most fully articulated in the Pathways to Opportunity Report, that includes improving financial education, reducing predatory lending and other high-cost business practices and increasing access to basic banking services, such as checking accounts and loan; and work support programs  like child care subsidies, health insurance, Food Stamps, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Family Independence Program.
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Seattle, WA
The City’s PeoplePoint Initiative offers coordinated referral to a range of services which assist low and moderate income people that helps people apply for energy and utility assistance, childcare and preschool options, health insurance programs, food assistance, the Seattle Jobs Initiative and the Earned Income Tax Credit campaign operated by United Way of King County.  The City’s Bank On Seattle Initiative offers help for low-income individuals without access to basic banking services (an ATM card, checking accounts, savings) to build credit and financial assets. Seattle is working with a coalition of municipal governments across the country called Cities for Financial Empowerment and the Seattle/King County Asset Building Collaborative to boost economic opportunity for low and moderate income people.
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Springfield, MA
Supports efforts to increase household assets through financial literacy and Individual Development Accounts that help people save money toward goals such as homeownership.  It also supports the work of Springfield Partners for Community Action, the federally designated Anti-Poverty Agency regarding its work to assist city residents through programs to assist with weatherization, telephone reassurance, community food and nutrition, community health advocacy, volunteer income tax assistance, financial literacy and awareness, individual development accounts, childcare, food distribution and community market programs.
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