Economic Development

Former coal towns get money for clean energy projects

Coal, oil and gas communities are receiving an amount of investment that is far above their share of the population.

A solution for dying downtowns is popping up in major cities

As business districts look for ways to revive economies weakened by long-gone office workers, cities are testing pop-up shops to reduce vacant retail space and give small business owners a launch platform.

Democrats face a balancing act in advancing clean energy initiatives

Despite some skepticism, auto unions recently approved new labor agreements that invest big in the nation’s transition to clean energy. Three Democratic governors are calling it a win. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

What’s driving post-pandemic downtown recoveries?

Data shows that many of the country’s largest downtowns have more residents now than before the pandemic, but residents alone can’t revitalize downtowns.

How one innovation hub plans to diversify the tech industry

Colorado’s quantum innovation hub consortium will ensure minorities and workers in rural and low-income areas get a fair share of the millions of jobs they believe the hub will create.

31 communities tapped as innovation hub finalists

The Biden administration expects the innovation hubs to spur scientific and technological innovation in communities across the country, including small and rural areas and those with historically underserved populations.

Recharging the Rust Belt through climate innovation

The cross-sector Chicagoland Climate Investment Alliance aims to transform the Midwest into a leading hub for climate technologies, economic development and investment.

If jobs won’t bring people downtown to work, what will?

The economies of six big cities took a hit as workers went remote or moved to areas with lower costs of living. But by focusing on downtown housing and leaning into already strong local industries, municipal leaders may be able to reverse the trend.

CHIPS Act implementation at risk as November shutdown looms

The shutdown would be “massively disruptive” for ongoing efforts to boost semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S., Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Wednesday.

Do opportunity zones work?

The jury is still out. But recent research has provided new insights into the tax incentive meant to lure investment to distressed areas.

Traditional downtowns are dead or dying in many US cities—what’s next for these zones?

COMMENTARY | Developers have overbuilt office and commercial space in US cities for decades. Now, in the wake of pandemic shutdowns, many downtowns face hard choices about the future.

A group of US governors promises to install 20 million heat pumps by 2030

And they want to put at least 40 percent of them in disadvantaged communities.

County’s advanced mapping tool supports development decisions

Henry County, Georgia, used it to decide where freight facilities should go. But the computer-based tool could be repurposed to help other communities address their hot-button issues.

Are tax incentives boons or boondoggles?

Though there’s lots of evidence that the economic development tool may not be effective, it is still in wide use. Fortunately, there are ways to control the potential waste of taxpayer dollars.

Can the future of passenger rail be found between Miami and Orlando?

The debut of Brightline service linking Miami to the central Florida tourist mecca is giving rail advocates hope that passenger rail will gain popularity elsewhere, too.

‘Who’s going to work there?’: Lawmakers grapple with labor shortages

Affordable housing, reliable child care and available mental health services could be the key for state and local governments desperate to fill vacant job positions in their communities. Lawmakers are finding ways to meet workers' needs through legislation and funding.

Analysis: A new approach to defining persistent poverty

COMMENTARY | Switching from using counties to census tracts in order to define persistent poverty may hurt rural communities and their chances when competing for federal dollars.

What happens when high-earners leave cities, taking their spending power with them?

Urban-to-rural migration can shrink a municipality’s tax base, reduce property values and slow new business development, a new report says. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

San Jose and the reemergence of the donut city

COMMENTARY | Post-pandemic pressures are compounding stresses cities were already facing, leading to the hollowing out of some American cities.

Unless states act soon, the ‘AI rich’ will ‘only get richer’

The industry is currently concentrated in only a handful of places in the U.S. States can change that.