Challenge Phoenix has long been a key Southwest business and logistics hub. Its strength in aerospace, the high-tech industry, and financial services command national and international attention. The Phoenix region’s higher education institutions, led by Arizona State University, were significant players in the revitalization of downtown Phoenix and surrounding communities. […]
Challenge Abilene prides itself on being a city of “firsts”: the first Texas city to create a sales-tax funded economic development effort in 1989, the first to create a downtown reinvestment zone, and the first community outside the state’s major metropolitan areas to receive a cultural district designation from the
Challenge Bordered by the Mississippi River to the west and Homochitto National Forest to the southeast, Claiborne County boasts abundant economic, natural, and cultural assets that include Alcorn State University, Port Gibson’s historic downtown, and Entergy’s Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. Despite these assets, Claiborne County was struggling to maintain its
Challenge Alvin, Texas, is strategically located halfway between Houston, the core city of the nation’s fastest-growing large metro area, and Freeport, the nation’s largest petrochemical complex. The city’s location also offers easy access to the region’s four major ports; proximity to Houston Hobby International Airport; and access to Alvin Community
Challenge Located in Anniston, Alabama, the Anniston Army Depot (the Depot) is one of a small number of US Army installations charged with neutralizing or destroying the country’s chemical weapons stockpiles, but this process was set to end in 2011. In addition to the anticipated job losses from the conclusion
Challenge Like many rural areas in the nation, Bee County, Texas, faces critical demographic challenges related to population growth and domestic migration. Population growth in the county over the last decade has remained flat, with a net gain of just 800 residents from 2006 to 2016. In addition, the county
Challenge Midland’s economy was thriving during the latter half of the last decade due to an ongoing energy-led expansion. Fueled by this expansion, the city added residents at a pace faster than almost any other city in the nation and greatly increased employment opportunities. This rapid growth, however, challenged city
Challenge Upstate New York is uniquely challenged. The region’s plight is often masked by state-level economic and demographic statistics that are positively skewed by New York City and well-off suburbs. Despite these broader challenges, the City of Corning has remained an island of stability within the region’s longstanding economic decline.
Challenge The Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area has experienced unprecedented economic growth and prosperity for decades. However, much of the region’s population has not shared in that prosperity. The area has rapidly become less affordable for residents—including those with jobs—as housing costs have continued to outpace wage growth. At the same
Challenge Located at the center of the Seattle metropolitan area, Kirkland benefited from the region’s large population base and its national reputation. Its coveted location allowed Kirkland to integrate a variety of employment opportunities with a livable and vibrant community. Despite these advantages, Kirkland was not immune to threats. The
