Strong Cities:  As part of its long-term engagement strategy to better support distressed communities, interagency, federal SC2 teams have been deployed to work closely with city leadership for up to 24 months to support job creation and the city’s economic development priorities. The SC2 teams improve coordination among federal agencies, programs, and investments in an effort to better leverage existing resources and identify new opportunities, including philanthropic partnerships and investments, in pilot locations. They provide needed technical advice and expertise, while taking a solutions-oriented approach that has received plaudits from local officials and national organizations alike. By focusing on each community’s priorities, SC2 teams have helped with planning efforts for downtown revitalization, assistance on transportation planning, delivery of national expertise on public health and public safety issues, and the resolution of regulatory barriers affecting the use of federal funds, among other areas. Just as importantly, SC2 team members have been called on to provide quick-turnaround assistance and guidance as local issues arise. The SC2 teams have been on the ground since September 20118 and, in most cases, will remain into the summer of 2013.  The following cities are pilot locations:  Chester, PA  Cleveland, OH  Detroit, MI  Fresno, CA  Memphis, TN  New Orleans, LA  Youngstown, OH These cities were selected for the pilot by considering a number of criteria related to economic distress, including unemployment, population decline, fiscal distress, operational capacity, and local mayoral support and participation in the SC2 Initiative.