For more than thirty years, national policy makers have grappled with the problem of urban poverty, but thus far they have not found a fully satisfactory solution. In searching for remedies to improve the economic status of the urban poor, it is necessary to begin with a clear understanding of the root cause of barriers to their participation in the economy. It is important to realize that urban poverty is grounded in the limited economic opportunities available to the urban, economically disadvantaged population. An important and indispensable requirement for improving the economic status of the urban poor is to increase the quality and quantity of their participation in the labor market. The main strategy used by the government and other institutions has been to target resources towards four specific groups: (1) employability development for youth programs, (2) young adult training programs, (3) welfare to work programs, and (4) direct job creation. This essay reviewed the impact of these programs on expanding the economic opportunities for the urban poor. Four key lessons can be drawn from the research: (1) small, but important victories are possible from the employment and training strategies, (2) replication of successful intervention models is difficult, (3) public job creation is indispensable to success, and (4) the market won't solve the problem.
