In many cities across the country, preservation of industrial land has become difficult as strong demand for housing has led to the redevelopment of many formerly industrial sites into mixed-use projects that feature housing, retail, and office space. This loss of industrial land raises important and timely questions about how cities are pursuing balanced and equitable economic development. ICIC’s own research has shown that many industrial jobs allow workers to earn a living wage: on average, workers earn 200 percent over federal minimum wage. In addition, industrial areas—often located in inner cities—can provide accessible employment opportunities for local residents. Read More

It’s one of the great catch-22s of economic development: local stakeholders work hard to lure investment to distressed urban areas, but once these investments takes root, long-time residents are susceptible to displacement. Read More

This case study highlights how an anchor institution’s initial efforts around neighborhood revitalization had a snowball effect that ultimately leveraged hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment. The redevelopment and construction of new housing served as the linchpin to a broad-based community effort to stabilize one of Columbus, Ohio’s most distressed inner city communities. Read More

Now the Nashville area faces a new set of challenges: heavy traffic congestion and a shortage of affordable housing. Read More

Just as new housing policies were used to stabilize the economy after the Great Depression, new housing policies are being considered today. Read More