Mayor Williams to Spotlight District's "New Communities" Initiative at Planning Conference

Contact: Vince Morris (202) 727-5011 or Sharon Gang (202) 727-5011

(Washington, DC) On Thursday, November 10, Mayor Anthony A. Williams will travel to the London School of Economics and Political Science’s 2005 European Mayor’s Conference. The purpose of the conference is to provide policymakers an opportunity to exchange views on major urban issues with a focus on revitalizing urban communities.

On Friday, November 11, Mayor Williams will deliver a presentation on the District’s “New Communities” initiative, which he first announced in his State of the District address earlier this year. The initiative is designed to stabilize some of the District of Columbia’s most distressed neighborhoods.

“I’m pleased to share our ‘New Communities’ initiative with a group of mayors from around the world,” said Mayor Williams. “This innovative initiative focuses on creating new partnerships with residents, while developing a blueprint for change for some of our city’s neediest neighborhoods. I look forward to getting constructive feedback from my European counterparts.”

Former CEO of the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation and former Director of the District’s Office of Planning Andrew Altman is also scheduled to attend the conference. Other mayors scheduled to attend the conference include Joan Clos, Mayor of Barcelona, Spain; Pedro Santana Lopes, Mayor of Lisbon Portugal; Job Cohen, Mayor of Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Rosa Iervolino Russo, Mayor of Naples, Italy.

For general information about the conference sponsor, visit the London School of Economics and Political Science website.