Mayor Dana Redd praised the collaboration between her city and Washington.
WASHINGTON -- New partnerships with the federal government have brought needed help to the city of Camden, Mayor Dana Redd said Wednesday.
Joining White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett on a conference call with reporters, Redd cited both government programs and dedicated staff from the federal government for the city's successes.
"We are beginning to see exciting outcomes in our community," she said.
Obama calls Camden 'symbol of promise'
President Barack Obama visited in May 2015, calling Camden "a symbol of promise for the nation" as he talked about efforts to improve police-community relations. He visited Camden County Police Department headquarters and a community center on the trip.
"This city is on to something," Obama said at the time.
Jarrett said the White House has gotten away from a one-fits-all approach and instead has tried to work with each municipality to determine specific needs and what the federal government can do to help address them.
"We've deliberately changed the way the federal government works with communities, one city at a time," Jarrett said. "We've learned in the 21st century, communities need to be true partners."
Redd said the programs have allowed the city to provide career training and job placement services for more than 100 people who otherwise might to turn to crime. Another 60 at-risk individuals are working on developing the programs, she said.
In addition, the city is participating in a Obama administration initiative to use data to determine which programs designed to combat crime and hold down prison population actually work, and how to target individuals most in need of social services.
Camden last year was designated as a "promise zone," which gave the city priority for certain grants and the presence of extra staff members through AmeriCorps.
The city planned to use that designation and the increased attention it brought to focus on increasing economic opportunities, improving education, promoting health, providing housing and reducing crime.
Camden was awarded $16.2 million in federal funds in July to rebuild a network of streets north of the Ben Franklin Bridge in an attempt to enhance economic development in the area.
The money, designed to support city and state efforts to redevelop the Camden waterfront, came from the U.S. Transportation Department's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, program.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.