Mason Square is one of the poorest neighborhoods in Western Massachusetts. This community’s distressed social and economic infrastructure is the catalyst for a host of social problems and a general feeling of disenfranchisement. According to recent U. S. Census data, nearly 30% of adult residents are not high school graduates. Half of the adults over 16 are unemployed. Forty- five percent of households with children under the age of 5 live in poverty. Less than half of the housing units in the neighborhood are owner- occupied. The Urban League’s Economic and Workforce Development initiatives aim to revitalize the physical landscape of the community, its housing and commercial real estate. Equally important are its initiatives designed to help residents achieve economic self-sufficiency through training and job placement services.
