Flip through the newspaper files from 20 years ago, and the pages are filled with hope for a new beginning, a way for low-income families to crawl from the depths of poverty to become proud and more productive citizens.

There was talk of freedom from welfare dependence through a program — billed as a first of its kind in the nation — that would provide new, modest homes at a reduced rent and provide cut-rate child care rates. A panacea where parents could work, or go to school while their children are safely cared for yards from their homes.

Freedom. Hope. Independence. It had all the trappings of the great American success story.

Twenty years later, 13 homes and the empty day care center are in private hands. Tenants pay market value for rents. The day care is closed. A great idea that is no more.

Lack of funding, federal housing rules changes and tenants not staying current on their rents formed a perfect storm that ultimately doomed the program.

In 1992, however, the story was much different. In that first year, the city and county contributed a combined $270,000. Private donors kicked in $18,000 and money came in from the federal government to fund the five-acre site on Hope Street. The hopes were that with minimal rent and day care costs, low-income workers could gravitate into the middle class. The idea and its beginnings were noble.

The program became unable to sustain itself. Money from all levels of government dried up, not completely, but far below the initial investments. The Department of Housing and Urban Development changed its formula for teacher-to-pupil ratios for funding from 40 children to 30, meaning 25 percent of the children who had been using the day care were no longer eligible. That left some families already struggling to pay the rent and day care costs even further behind. Many tenants were unable, or simply failed to pay rents, with some owing $9,000. It became impossible for The Initiative to pay its employees.

Nine of the 13 rental units are still occupied. In private hands, the rental units will reflect market prices, not on a fixed basis that was the crux for The Initiative.

Social programs to help struggling families with children are worthwhile and can work.

The goal is as noble today as it was 20 years ago — get help to help yourself out of poverty. What a shame The Initiative is no longer.