There are some social residence programs that place minorities/lower-class folks in areas with good schools, high average incomes, etc. If I recall correctly (I heard it on NPR a few months ago) the program had varying degrees of success -- some folks just couldn't fit in and opted to go back previous inner-city residences, while some actually saw measurable improvement in quality of life: children doing better in school, improved outlook and satisfaction.

You probably saw the research results of the crack baby studies -- as it turned out poverty plays an incredibly big role in how children grow up [1]. So I really think this is something we need to continue experimenting with. Sadly, these residency programs cost a lot and most communities are unwilling to fund it. So really the first step is convincing people the reality of these things -- e.g., my neighbor, an incredibly smart biomedical engineer, calls advocates of these programs "troublemakers" who want to "bring socialism" into this country.

[1]: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Family/2013/0725/Crack-...