Challenge Faced with more than three decades of stagnant population trends and lagging income and educational attainment, Muskogee, Oklahoma, was at a crossroads. Despite the area’s many assets, which included a strong base of private and public sector employers, desirable market access, and a committed group of leaders, Muskogee failed
Challenge Through their location in Southern Oregon, Jackson and Josephine Counties have a number of strategic advantages. The area’s natural beauty and unique cultural amenities make it a draw for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. The region is home to a wide array of industries, including many niche and artisanal businesses.
Challenge The City of Irving, Texas, operates in a highly competitive environment. Despite its many advantages—ranging from its transportation network to available workforce to prime sites—the city is in a constant battle for projects within the fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Irving occupies an enviable position in the region but
Challenge Located in the Phoenix area, Maricopa was one of the most rapidly growing communities in the country, increasing from 1,500 residents in 2000 to more than 43,000 by 2010. This dramatic growth reflected an unusually hot—and ultimately unsustainable—housing market. As a result, growth tapered off after the housing bubble
Challenge Located on the eastern side of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Rockwall, Texas, is an economic development leader. Its strong commercial and industrial tax base supports a high quality of life for residents, while maintaining a low property tax rate relative to the region. The establishment and growth of the
Challenge Robust employment and economic growth led to extremely tight labor market conditions in the Greater Fargo Moorhead region at the start of the 21st century. Even during the 2007-2009 recession, the region’s employment base contracted by less than 1 percent and had fully recovered by 2010. With unemployment less
Challenge The City of Clearwater faced two formative demographic trends: an aging population and above-average share of low-income households. Compounding these trends is the City’s over-reliance on residential real estate taxes, with housing accounting for approximately two-thirds of its property tax base. In addition, Clearwater lacks available greenfield development sites
Challenge Situated in the southern portion of the Austin metropolitan area, Buda has experienced tremendous growth. The city was recently ranked as the fastest growing US city among those with at least 5,000 residents as of 2010. This unparalleled growth brings tremendous opportunities, as well as significant challenges. How can
Challenge The Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan boasts remarkable assets. Despite its distance from major urban centers, its natural beauty, higher education institutions, and emerging technology assets stand out both within Michigan and nationally. Facilities such as the Innovate Marquette SmartZone, Sawyer International Airport, and Northern Michigan University’s indoor agriculture
Challenge Perhaps more than any other region in the country, Southern Nevada was devastated by the Great Recession. The region went from having some of the lowest rates of unemployment to the highest. Tens of thousands of families lost their homes as jobs dried up, credit tightened, and the regional
