WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement after the state of Connecticut announced that it will allocate an additional $20 million over the next two years to the Capital Region Development Authority to be used for projects north of I-84 in Hartford.

“I organized the movement to designate North Hartford as a Promise Zone because I knew it would be a game changer for the community. Thanks to the hard work of our partners, we won this critical designation to give the neighborhood a leg up on federal grants to support education, economic development, and housing programs. I applaud the state’s increased investment in the Capital Region Development Authority because it builds on the coordinated Promise Zone effort and shows we’re serious about providing life-changing opportunities for the hard-working residents of North Hartford.”

After more than a year-and-a-half long campaign initiated by Murphy to win the Promise Zone designation for North Hartford, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced on April 28, 2015 that the Connecticut neighborhood is one of just six high-poverty, urban neighborhoods in this round of awards to win the Promise Zone designation. As a designee, local and federal leaders will partner up to create jobs, boost economic activity, expand educational opportunities, improve health and wellness, increase availability of quality and affordable housing, and reduce violent crime in the community. North Hartford will receive preferences for competitive federal programs and technical assistance, five AmeriCorps VISTA members to work with federal agencies, coordinate key stakeholders, and create programs that address the community's needs, and a federal liaison to help local leaders navigate federal programs.