Naked City

Efforts to secure a federal Empowerment Zone designation for East Austin move into the final stages next week, as the city of Austin tries to meet an application deadline of Sept. 28 with the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Janet Blake, who lives and owns a business in East Austin, where she is also president of Lincoln Garden Neighborhood Association, is among those leading the charge to obtain the EZ designation, which generally provides for tax breaks and other financial incentives designed to revitalize impoverished neighborhoods. As a business owner, Blake is particularly optimistic about the possibility of obtaining tax credits for hiring workers who live in East Austin. "I could afford to hire more moms who live in the neighborhood and give them an opportunity," she said. Backers of the proposal will hold a second community meeting (the first was this week) at 5:30pm Monday at the Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center, 2802 Webberville; call 322-5665 for more info.