The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was passed as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty” which created a federal Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO).   In his SPECIAL MESSAGE TO CONGRESS, on March 16th, 1964, President Johnson declared, “The Act does not merely expand on old programs or improve what is already being done.  It charts a new course.  It strikes at the causes of poverty . . . Not just the consequences of poverty.  It can be a milestone in our 180-year search for a better life for your people.” 

Congress also passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which guaranteed equal opportunity for all.  The Economic Opportunity Act was designated as the vehicle for implementing that guarantee.  It’s purpose was defined:  “To eliminate the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty in this nation by opening … To everyone … the opportunity for education and training, the opportunity to work, and the opportunity to live in decency and dignity.” 

The Green and Quie Amendments were passed in 1967.  These amendments to the Economic Opportunity Act required local  government designation of Community Action Agencies and created the tri-partite Board structure that still exists today.  TRI-PARTITE, as the name implies, means “THREE PARTS”.  One-third of members must consist of elected public officials or their representatives.  The public officials must be in office at the time of selection.  Not less than one-third of members must represent low-income individuals/families.  These members must be representative of the populations served by the agency.  The remaining members represent the community, or private sector (they may represent local business, labor, industry, religious, law enforcement, education, other major groups and interests).

Community Services Amendments were passed in 1974, under the Nixon Administration.  The Office of Economic Opportunity was replaced with the Community Services Administration (CSA).

In 1981, the Economic Opportunity Act was rescinded and the Community Services Administration was abolished, under the Reagan Administration.  In its place, came the Community Services Block Grant, which delegated responsibility for the    administration of Community Action Agencies to the states.

There is a trend of opposition against Community Action, by critics who claim that these agencies have outlived their usefulness, and have failed to accomplish their charge to “eliminate poverty.”  A shift to Results Oriented Management and  Accountability or ROMA, is used to demonstrate to our opponents, the effectiveness of the services provided by Community Action Agencies.

The charge of Community Action Agencies, to this day remains,

“To eliminate the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty."