Latest News

Sidebar Conference Presentation

The Sidebar Conference, sponsored by Seyfarth Shaw, Georgia Power, GEDA, and the Center for Economic Development Research (CEDR) is a four-hour training session for development authority members and fulfills the requirement for mandated Development Authority and Downtown Development Authority Board Member training.  This is not only the best, most comprehensive training offered in Georgia, but it is also FREE!

Alfie Meek and Leigh Hopkins from CEDR spoke at the training on February 23rd.  Both presentations can be downloaded below.

Alfie Meek – “COVID-19 & The Economy: An Update”

Leigh Hopkins – “Community Resilience Post COVID“

Griffin-Spalding Continues to Build on CEDR’s Work

The Lakes at Green Valley is a 570-acre site-ready industrial park development located in unincorporated Spalding County, approximately three miles from the eastern city limits of Griffin, and seven miles west of Interstate 75.  The Griffin-Spalding Development Authority (GSDA) worked with the Center for Economic Development Research (CEDR) to differentiate industrial development in the area by capitalizing on the park’s natural assets, incorporating mixed-uses, and minimizing its impact on the environment. The GSDA intended for The Lakes at Green Valley to be the State of Georgia’s first “eco-industrial park.”

Although various degrees exist – from the less-structured “green industrial park” to the synergy of a complete system in an “integrated eco-industrial park”- the overall concept aimed to create an environment where industrial systems imitate natural ecosystems through the reuse and sharing of energy, materials, and waste. CEDR provided the GSDA with recommendations to develop The Lakes at Green Valley as an eco-industrial park over several years, including the development of a mission statement and guiding principles for the park, tools for industry attraction and retention, and the creation of a nonprofit and advisory board to manage the park’s sustainability initiatives.

Nine years later, the park continues to be a huge success and has become a home for several Japanese firms.

How Georgia’s First Eco-Industrial Park Became a Magnet for Japanese Investment

 

Southwest Georgia Strategic Planning

Since the Great Recession, rural downtowns across the country have undergone a renaissance. While larger communities typically have physical amenities that draw talent, the overall cost of living to be “close to everything” can be burdensome. Now during the COVID-19 pandemic, rural communities are beginning to realize the certain advantages and potential for attracting talent that can work just about anywhere with the right infrastructure. Recognizing the opportunity to capitalize on their assets, the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission (SWGRC) contracted with the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Center for Economic Development Research (CEDR) to conduct a strategic plan to use as a roadmap to pursue the region’s economic development goals.

The Southwest Georgia region has been hit hard because of natural disasters, and more recently, sustained a significant community impact during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. During October 2018, Hurricane Michael impacted more than 20,000 businesses in Georgia. According to FEMA, southern Georgia sustained approximately $3 billion in damages in the agriculture industry alone (according to estimates from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service and Georgia Forestry Commission). Most recently, several Southwest Georgia counties reported the highest COVID-19 case count per 100,000 people in the state, while unemployment claims had risen over 4,000 percent during April 2020. Under the CARES Act, the SWGRC is conducting this strategic plan to prioritize the region’s most pressing economic needs, and to help inform their short and long-term economic resilience strategies. These strategies will assist the SWGRC in developing public-private partnerships, as it strives to revitalize key industry sectors and attract people and investment.

As an EDA University Center, Georgia Tech is uniquely positioned to assist communities throughout the Southeast on various economic development initiatives. The Economic Development Research Program (EDRP) is Georgia Tech’s signature program for providing affordable economic development research and analysis capacity for communities that need it the most. CARES Act Recovery Assistance and EDRP are funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s University Center grant program and administered by Georgia Tech. These funds are available to eligible communities across eight southeastern U.S. states.

Cost of Community Services in Effingham County, GA

The Effingham County Industrial Development Authority wanted a better understanding of both the benefits and costs of growth. There is a growing body of empirical evidence that shows that commercial and/or industrial development can improve the financial situation of a local government. However, residential development, with its demands for local government services, often has the opposite effect. This study presents the cost of community services by land use for Effingham County, Georgia.

Economic Impact of the Atlanta Housing Authority (2014-2019)

Atlanta Housing (formerly called Atlanta Housing Authority) was founded in 1938 and is considered the very first and oldest housing authority in the United States. Today, Atlanta Housing (AH) is the largest housing agency in Georgia and one of the largest in the United States, serving approximately 50,000 people.

This report quantifies the economic impact of AH within the primary investment area of the City of Atlanta. Specifically, the economic impact was done for a period of 6 years – 2014 through 2019. This period was chosen because it corresponds to the end of the mortgage and credit crisis, and overall stabilization of the economy. The analysis is done for three major expenditure components – capital spending, operational spending, and housing subsidy payments (which are a sub-component of operational spending). This research will provide a baseline from which future planning decisions may be calculated and bench marked.

Call For Applications: Fund Your Research With EDRP

The Center for Economic Development Research at Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute will be funding a new round of Economic Development Research Program (EDRP) projects and is looking for communities to submit their applications for research.

The mission of EDRP is to assist local communities by providing affordable economic development and policy research to enhance their competitive positions. The types of research include strategic planning and visioning, economic forecasting, fiscal and economic impact analysis, community assessments, downtown development planning, and workforce analysis and planning to name a few.

There are limited funds available and projects will be chosen based on local commitment, likelihood of implementation, level of cost match, and obviously a match with the capabilities of the research team at Georgia Tech. We look forward to getting your applications and partnering with you to meet your community’s research needs.

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://cedr.gatech.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/EDRP-General-v2-002.pdf” text=”CALL FOR APPLICATIONS” ]

[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://cedr.gatech.edu/edrp/” text=”MORE INFORMATION” ]

[maxbutton id=”2″ url=”https://cedr.gatech.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/APPLICATION-TO-PARTICIPATE-IN-EDRP_website-version_v3.pdf” ]

Questions about the program? Please contact:

Candice McKie

Project Manager

Enterprise Innovation Institute

Georgia Institute of Technology

404-385-2053

ude.hcetag.etavonninull@eikcm.ecidnac

 

Fiscal Impact of the Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Tax Credit

This report examines the fiscal impact of the Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act (GARJA).

The portfolio provided to the research team represented $100 million of investments that were made in 33 rural Georgia companies.  These investments were directly responsible for the creation, or retention, of more than 1,000 jobs across rural Georgia in various industries.  Combined, these jobs represent nearly $50 million in personal income in rural Georgia.

These jobs and their related economic activity are projected to generate $23.4 million annually for all levels of government across the state.  About $10.7 million of that is expected to accrue to the state. Conservatively assuming that no more jobs were created over the next 10 years in these businesses, the return ratio to the State of Georgia would be 1.56 after 10 years.  In other words, over a 10-year period, if these jobs are maintained, the state could expect to get back 56 percent more in revenue than it gave in credits.

The report can be found here.

Update: Rossville EDRP Project

At 1.2 million square feet, the 27-acre Peerless Mills site is the largest parcel in the heart of Rossville, Georgia. Located just three miles south of downtown Chattanooga in Tennessee, Rossville’s downtown revitalization will largely be shaped by the redevelopment of the Peerless property.  Since the Great Recession, rural downtowns across the country are undergoing a redevelopment renaissance. While larger communities like Chattanooga have amenities that draw talent, the cost of starting a business and the overall cost of living to be “close to everything” can be burdensome. Recognizing the opportunity to capitalize on their assets, the city of Rossville and the ReDev Workshop submitted an application to the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Economic Development Research Program (EDRP) for an assessment of their strategic priorities for the local government to use as a roadmap to pursue the city’s economic development goals. The objective is not to re-invent the wheel, but to suggest actions that will enable the city of Rossville to prioritize its most pressing needs, and to help enhance and strengthen the work of the ReDev Workshop.

Most of Rossville, including the Peerless Mills site, is located in a federally designated Opportunity Zone (OZ), which encourages private investors to take an equity stake in economic development through local businesses, real estate, or development projects in exchange for a reduction in tax liability over time. However, Rossville has not yet seen this infusion of much needed private investment from the OZ program. With this in mind, Georgia Tech recommended that Rossville focus on improving its public stormwater infrastructure and activate its downtown development association (DDA), which would provide a strong foundation for the eventual redevelopment of the Peerless Mills complex and facilitate other development in the city. 

Outcomes of the Study: Rossville was recently designated by DCA as a “Rural Zone” community

EDRP is Georgia Tech’s signature program for providing affordable economic development research and analysis capacity for communities that need it the most. EDRP is funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s University Center grant program. EDRP is available to eligible communities across eight southeastern U.S. states. Applications are currently being accepted to EDRP, please apply here.

Call for Applications: Fund Your Research with EDRP

CEDR will be funding a new round of Economic Development Research Program (EDRP) projects and is looking for communities to submit their applications for research.

The mission of EDRP is to assist local communities by providing affordable economic development and policy research to enhance their competitive positions. The types of research include strategic planning and visioning, economic forecasting, community readiness assessments, economic impact analysis, downtown development planning, and workforce analysis and planning to name a few.

If your community has a need for economic development research, is willing to become actively involved in the project during the study phase and follow-up implementation, and is willing to provide some level of cost match, Georgia Tech and EDA want to partner with you to conduct the research.

Click here to start your application.

Have questions? Contact:

Candice McKie

Project Manager

Enterprise Innovation Institute

Georgia Institute of Technology

404-385-2053

ude.hcetag.etavonninull@eikcm.ecidnac

EDRP Launch: City of Rossville

In August 2018, the City of Rossville, GA submitted a proposal for a grant through the Economic Development Research Program (EDRP). The proposal presented a case for the development of a “Strategic Priorities Assessment” to prioritize projects that will bring greater investment into the city based on its evident strength in location, real and tourism estate assets, and proximity to a regional economic hub. The Strategic Priorities Assessment will be directed towards providing recommendations for building the capacity of the citizen-run Rossville Redevelopment Workshop to take advantage of the new federal Opportunity Zone designation, and undertake community redevelopment initiatives in the city.

The City of Rossville, GA is located in the Chattanooga, TN-GA Metropolitan Statistical Area, situated in a valley between Missionary Ridge to the east and the Lookout Mountain to the west. With a population of 4,105 and a median household income of $32,182 (FY2015), Rossville has experienced an increase in its poverty rate and decrease in job growth over the years. Downtown Rossville is ripe for improvement – the 27-acre, 1 million square foot abandoned Peerless Woolen Mill is situated in the heart of the city. However, the City’s access to highways and interstates and proximity to the Chattanooga area and other tourism assets provide an opportunity for leveraging and supplementing the City’s capacity to undertake economic development programs.

The City of Rossville’s proposal was selected for its innovativeness, magnitude of project impact, level of engagement displayed by the city government and local populace, and finally its probability for success given available resources and funding. To develop a plan that builds on the strengths and provides the capacity to overcome extant challenges, this EDRP project will utilize the skills and energies of Georgia Tech researchers, state and local officials, and build on the expertise of resource development specialists to complement previous and current efforts in the City of Rossville to foster a healthier economy and to better the quality of life for its residents. The project with Rossville began in November 2018 and will be complete in May 2019. The plan will include research, community engagement, support the development of public-private partnerships, and provide data-driven recommendations that will facilitate their decision-making process for community redevelopment.

About EDRP: In 2017, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) a five-year EDA University Center designation to leverage the university’s assets to build regional economic ecosystems that support high-growth entrepreneurship, and improve community capacity to achieve and sustain economic growth. EI2 uses the EDA University Center grant funds awarded through their designation to administer EDRP. Through strategic planning studies, forecasting, feasibility studies, readiness assessments, economic impact analysis, and labor market studies, the program strives to inform policy decisionmaking, and to help governments and economic development organizations carry out their mission.

For project-related questions, contact:

Leigh Hopkins

Phone: 404-894-0933 | Fax: 404-410-6910

Email: ude.hcetag.etavonninull@snikpoh.hgiel