I suggest that the first step we take as a nation, to address poverty, is to decide that all lives matter and that everyone deserves equal rights under the law. This should apply whether the poverty is rural or urban.  We have never done that. Today the quality of justice one gets depends on your race, gender, class, and wealth or the lack there of. This country has never managed to provide equal protection under the law for all citizens.  Changing that will go a long way to solving the problem of poverty, where ever it is a problem. We could decide that healthcare and safe housing are human rights, like in most 1st world countries.  Our morality is showing, when we live in the richest country on the planet and ignore these wealth and poverty issues. BTW, if we were talking about only poor minorities, most of the conversation would be about taking personal responsibility their your choices.