Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Cleveland’S Talent Landscape, Richey Piiparinen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The term “brain drain” implies a region’s talent pool fading out, with the “best and brightest” leaving for greener pastures. Plugging the brain drain has become a cottage industry for consultants and non-profits alike. It is arguably the modus operandi of the new Cleveland Talent Alliance, a consortium of economic development agencies whose goal is to grow the region’s talent pool. “It’s important we measure progress and not just activity,” explains one of its leaders .

Measuring progress entails getting a baseline. This Levin Policy Brief—the third in a running series—investigates. The first brief examined Cleveland’s potential to be a …

Shale Investment Dashboard In Ohio Q1 And Q2 2021, Andrew R. Thomas, Mark Henning, Samuel Owusu-Agyemang, Khadija Shabbiri

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This report presents findings from an investigation into shale-related investment in Ohio, looking at up, mid and downstream activities. The investment estimates are from January through June of 2021. The report also includes an estimate of cumulative investment in shale in Ohio from 2012 through June 2021. Prior biannual investments are included in previously posted reports that are available from Cleveland State University.

Energy Storage Roadmap For Northern Appalachia 2022, Mark Henning, Andrew R. Thomas, Rob Moore

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Northern Appalachian counties (Western PA, Eastern OH and West Virginia) have legacy energy industry engineering, workforce and research advantages that have made the region a prime location for the development of energy storage manufacturing and deployment. Already over 200 private companies are engaged in the energy storage business regionally. Further assets include the many research universities and laboratories in the region, together with a low cost of living compared to other energy storage clusters. The study identifies the energy storage industry assets and explores strategies for cluster development in Northern Appalachia.

How A County Utility Can Catalyze The 21st Century Economy: Cuyahoga County’S Vision To Develop Clean And Resilient Energy Districts To Attract And Retain Commercial Activity, Andrew R. Thomas, Mike Foley, Mark Henning

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability and the Cleveland State University Energy Policy Center have for the past several years been researching strategies for development of clean, highly resilient commercial districts in Cuyahoga County. In the fall of 2021, the County created a new utility division for the purpose of developing such districts, with the goal of attracting and retaining commercial activity. This paper summarizes the vision of the County as it moves forward with this innovative strategy to develop microgrids and other 21^st century infrastructure that will attract business to the County.

Where Deaths Are Increasing The Fastest In The U.S., Richey Piiparinen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The findings show that Ohio and Cuyahoga County perform poorly when it comes to mortality rate. Ohio had the 9^th highest mortality rate in the nation in 2021. Ohio also had the 8^th highest increase in mortality rate from 2019 to 2021. For large counties, Cuyahoga County had the 3^rd highest mortality rate in 2021. A few avenues are explored as to why.

Federal Assistance To Youngstown: Evidence From The Paycheck Protection Program, Iryna Demko, Georgina Guadalupe Figueroa,

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This presentation examines trends in federal assistance to Youngstown businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in 2020 and 2021. During this time, the Youngstown region received 13,061 PPP loans totaling $1 billion, reaching at least one small business in every Youngstown’s zip code. Most approved loans covered employees’ wages, helping to keep 130,170 workers on payroll during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, PPP loans reached smaller businesses, with an average of 5 employees per business, compared to 17 employees in 2020.

An Empirical Review Of The Paycheck Protection Program - Congressional Testimony, Iryna Demko

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Dr. Iryna Demko, Research Associate at the Center for Economic Development, testified at the hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business on the Paycheck Protection Program. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been one of the largest economic stimulus programs in U.S. history. In 2020 and 2021, the SBA disbursed over $800 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to help small businesses keep their employees on payroll during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Developing A Hydrogen Economy In Ohio: Challenges And Opportunities, Mark Henning, Andrew R. Thomas, Peter Psarras, Michael Triozzi

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Ohio is positioned to be a leader in the developing hydrogen economy in the coming years. Ohio is already a national leader in industrial and transportation hydrogen markets, and power generation markets for hydrogen are developing. Ohio projects to need between 2-3 million metric tons of hydrogen per year by 2050. To meet this demand, low cost natural gas from nearby Appalachian shale fields will likely be the principal source of hydrogen generation for the next 30 years. This would be true even if Ohio were to repurpose half of its carbon-free power generation to making hydrogen -- which it …

Covid-19 Impact On The Economic Vitality Index Of Ohio’S 88 Counties, Iryna Lendel, Georgina Guadalupe Figueroa, Iryna Demko, Jack Yochum

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This brief illustrates the results of the updated 2020 Economic Vitality Index (EVI) to understand the overall economic impact of the pandemic, including the role of the economic stimuli and related policy responses. This update of the 2019 EVI shows how Ohio’s 88 counties have been affected by COVID-19.

Can Cleveland Be A Hub Of Healthcare Worker Training?, Richey Piiparinen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

It’s well established that Cleveland’s healthcare industry has transformed its regional economy. This Levin Policy Brief goes beyond looking at how Cleveland’s healthcare industry brings outside money into the region through the export of healthcare services and begins to sketch a picture of how Cleveland’s higher education system can not only play a supportive role in supplying the local labor market pipeline to area hospital systems, it also examines how Cleveland’s higher ed system itself can scale its exportability by investing in care worker training infrastructure so as to serve labor markets outside the region. This analysis proves that the …

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: Retirement Destinations, Iryna Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Madeline M. Frantz

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

A recent report conducted by the Center for Economic Development examined the structural and policy factors of economic growth in mid-sized metropolitan areas (MSAs). The Center used factor analysis as a data-reduction technique to identify five factors influencing mid-sized regional economies: 1) Innovation and Talent, 2) Entrepreneurship in High-Cost Areas, 3) New Residential Centers, 4) Retirement Destinations, and 5) Polarization. These factors were related to changes in regional employment, gross regional product (output), and per capita income. This brief outlines the initial analysis’ primary takeaways related to Retirement Destinations and explores how Cleveland and Northeast Ohio can retain its growing …

Shale Investment Dashboard In Ohio Q3 And Q4 2020, Andrew R. Thomas, Mark Henning, Samuel Owusu-Agyemang

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This report presents findings from an investigation into shale-related investment in Ohio, looking at up, mid and downstream activities. The investment estimates are from July through December of 2020. The report also includes an estimate of cumulative investment in shale in Ohio from 2012 through December 2020. Prior biannual investments are included in previously posted reports that are available from Cleveland State University.

Swimming Upstream: Getting To The Root Causes Of Infant Mortality And Life Expectancy Outcomes In Cleveland, Ohio And The U.S., Richey Piiparinen, Joshua Valdez

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Health mostly happens outside of the hospital and the doctor’s office. This reality is called “the social determinants of health” (SDOH). SDOH’s impact can be understood a number of ways. This analysis shows that great local healthcare doesn’t preclude poor population health, exhibited by high infant mortality and low life expectancy rates.

The analysis found that while Ohio and Cuyahoga County have world-class healthcare, they also have third-world health outcomes.

• Ohio’s life expectancy (76.8) ranks 12th worst nationally, well below Midwestern peers. Cuyahoga County’s life expectancy (77) ranks 41st out of 89 counties in the State.

• Black Cuyahoga …

Through The Ivory Curtain: African Americans In Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Before The Fair Housing Movement, J. Mark Souther

History Faculty Publications

This article examines the largely neglected history of African American struggles to obtain housing in Cleveland Heights, a first-ring suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, between 1900 and 1960, prior to the fair housing and managed integration campaigns that emerged thereafter. The article explores the experiences of black live-in servants, resident apartment building janitors, independent renters, and homeowners. It offers a rare look at the ways that domestic and custodial arrangements opened opportunities in housing and education, as well as the methods, calculations, risks, and rewards of working through white intermediaries to secure homeownership. It argues that the continued black presence laid …

Reflections On The 2020 Census: Trends In Cleveland’S Hispanic And Latino Population, Richey Piiparinen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Ohio Manufacturing, Iryna Lendel, Merissa Piazza, Madeline Frantz

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The manufacturing sector is integral to Ohio’s economy, as it employed about 698,000 workers and produced an estimated $106.9 billion in output in 2019, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This report examines the subsequent effects of the pandemic on Ohio’s manufacturing industry by analyzing changes in its workforce and productivity between 2019 and 2020, as well as the strategies used by manufacturing companies to adapt to pandemic circumstances. We found that Ohio manufacturing employment decreased by 6.7% from 2019 to 2020, contrasting with an increase in GDP and productivity over the same period. This report explores possible explanations …

Manufacturing In The 21st Century, Iryna Lendel, Mike Naso

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The manufacturing sector faces more challenges than ever to remain a competitive force in Northeast Ohio. The evolution of manufacturing through the advent of Industry 4.0 poses the most pressing challenge, pushing manufacturers to adopt technologies that are driven by data analysis, cloud computing, and connectivity through the Industrial Internet of Things. Northeast Ohio is falling behind in the adoption of 4.0 technology, especially among small- and medium-sized companies, and some have even delayed adoption of 3.0 technologies like basic automation and the integration of computers into production processes. This research brief investigates the advantages of Industry 4.0 implementation and …

Cooperatives In Ohio’S Economy: Their Contribution And The Impact Of Covid-19, Iryna Demko, Isabella L. Mcknight, Hannah Scott

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Ohio is home to 452 cooperatives, including some of the largest agricultural co-ops in the country, and is the birthplace of rural electric cooperatives in the U.S. However, prior to this analysis there was little information about the economic impact of those cooperatives on the state’s economy. The research team used various public sources and interviews to gather data on 58 agricultural and food cooperatives and 25 rural electric cooperatives in Ohio. This study found that agriculture, food, and rural electric cooperatives supported an estimated 12,910 full-time and part-time jobs in the state, attained $875 million in labor income, and …

Economic Impact Of The Transportation Research Center Inc. On Central Ohio And The State Of Ohio, Iryna Lendel, Matthew B. Ellerbrock, Scott Corsi

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

A recognized leader in transportation research and innovation since 1974, the Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC), with its 4,500-acre testing facility and expert technical team, created more than $127 million total in economic output in 2019 and supported over 670 total jobs with almost $36 million in wages and benefits throughout Ohio, the study determined. Testing and research on behalf of TRC clients, including many of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers and systems innovators, generated more than $1.3 million in taxes to local government entities, $1.3 million to the state government and $2.3 million to the federal government. An additional …

Opportunities For Youngstown In The Supply Chains Of Northeast Ohio And Pittsburgh Economies, Iryna Lendel, Iryna Demko, Georgina G. Figueroa

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Center for Economic Development at Cleveland State University conducted this analysis to determine opportunities for the Youngstown economy in the supply chains of Northeast Ohio and Pittsburgh economies. Youngstown can account for a greater share of input purchases from the NEO and Pittsburgh regions by focusing on Nonferrous Metal (Except Aluminum) Production and Processing, Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing, and Plastic Product Manufacturing. Youngstown can develop its economic ties with Pittsburgh’s economy in its aspirational sector – Financial Services.

Migration Is Economic Development, Richey Piiparinen, Josh Valdez, Jim Russell

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The sponsor of this analysis, Global Cleveland, is an organization, but global Cleveland is also a reality. Elaborating, when it comes to the task of economic and community development, think of a city as a feather in the wind, or a stick in a rapid of water. Global forces push and pull at places, affecting a city’s relevance, or it’s standard of living. Yet some indicators are better measures of where a city fits into the global order of things than others. This analysis shows that standard measures of “success”, like population size, are relics of a bygone era where …

Pandemic-Related Business Assistance, July 2021, Iryna Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Scott A. Corsi

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The CARES Act is the largest stimulus package passed in the United States to date. On 12/27/2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act was passed, providing $900 billion in stimulus relief for the pandemic. Another 1.4 trillion in spending helped plan the 2021 federal fiscal year. On 3/11/2021, the American Rescue Plan was passed providing an additional $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus to further aid the country through the ongoing pandemic. The pandemic has caused an unprecedented increase in unemployment, the closing or suspension of operations for many businesses, a drastic reduction in the capacity to produce many goods and services, and …

Pittsburgh V. Cleveland: Winning In Football (Finally), Losing In Economic Development (Still). A Story Told In Graphs., Richey Piiparinen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Since the 2000’s, it’s fair to say Cleveland has had “Pittsburgh envy”. This mostly meant resentment at the success of the city’s football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Meanwhile, in economic development circles a new envy was brewing. As Pittsburgh became the posterchild for a “Rust Belt renaissance”, Cleveland, too, wanted in on the re-imaging. Was the want wishful or warranted? This brief analysis investigates.

Pandemic-Related Housing Assistance, July 2021, Iryna V. Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Scott A. Corsi

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

On 12/27/2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act was passed, providing $900 billion in stimulus relief. Another 1.4 trillion in spending helped plan the 2021 federal fiscal year. On 3/11/2021, the American Rescue Plan passed providing an additional $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus to further aid the country through the ongoing pandemic. The pandemic has damaged not only health systems, but social and economic systems as well. One effect of COVID-19 has been mass housing instability, which is predominantly due to evictions. Many people have lost their jobs, in part or altogether, due to COVID-19, leaving residents with little income to pay …

The Nasa Glenn Research Center: An Economic Impact Study Fiscal Year 2020, Iryna V. Lendel, Jinhee Yun

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center, located in Cleveland and Sandusky, Ohio, creates vast economic benefits within the regional economies of Northeast Ohio and Ohio by employing local labor, paying high wages to their employees who spend most of their income locally, engaging local contractors, and collaborating with local higher education institutions, providing them with research grants and contracts. This study uses a multi-regional input-output (I-O) model to estimate the effect of NASA Glenn Research Center's spending on the economies of Northeast Ohio and Ohio. For the total economic impact in the state of Ohio in 2020, the researchers …

Cleveland Heights Police Department 2019 Traffic Ticketing Patterns, Ronnie A. Dunn

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

In response to the police-involved killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, and the historic mass demonstrations and protests calling for racial justice and police reform in cities and towns, large and small, across the country and around the world that ensued in its wake, the City of Cleveland Heights engaged The Diversity Institute at Cleveland State University to collaborate in assessing and enhancing the community-oriented policing practices of the Cleveland Heights Police Department (CHPD). This report provides demographic data for the department’s sworn personnel and an analysis of the 2019 traffic enforcement data of the CHPD. A database …

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: New Residential Centers, Iryna V. Lendel, Merissa Piazza, Molly Schnoke, Shneur Kushner

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

A recent report conducted by the Center for Economic Development examined the structural and policy factors of economic growth in mid-sized metropolitan areas (MSAs). The Center used factor analysis as a data-reduction technique to identify five factors influencing mid-sized regional economies: 1) Innovation and Talent, 2) Entrepreneurship in High-Cost Areas, 3) New Residential Centers, 4) Retirement Destinations, and 5) Polarization. These factors also contribute to changes in regional employment, gross regional product (output), and per capita income. This brief outlines the initial analysis’ primary takeaways related to New Residential Centers and explores how Northeast Ohio can incorporate successful policies and …

Shale Investment Dashboard In Ohio Q1 And Q2 2020, Andrew R. Thomas, Mark Henning, Oluwatosin Oladipo, Samuel Owusu-Agyemang

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This report presents findings from an investigation into shale-related investment in Ohio, looking at up, mid and downstream activities. The investment estimates are from January through June of 2020. The report
also includes an estimate of cumulative investment in shale in Ohio from 2012 through June 2020. Prior biannual investments are included in previously posted reports that are available from Cleveland State University.

Economic Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Ohio, Matthew Ellerbrock, Iryna Demko, Iryna Lendel, Erica Henrichsen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The global COVID-19 pandemic has had sweeping impacts on our society; some of the most dire are economic in nature. In Ohio, stay-at-home orders enacted by Governor DeWine in March 2020 resulted in many Ohioans losing work, in part or altogether. The shutdowns also shifted consumption patterns, with more spending online and at grocery stores taking the place of entertainment, travel, and accommodations. To respond to the economic hardships felt by the pandemic, beginning in late March, the United States federal government issued multiple rounds of financial assistance in the form of business loans, stimulus checks, grants, and contracts. This …

Pandemic-Related Business Assistance, February 2021, Iryna V. Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Erica Henrichsen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The pandemic has caused an unprecedented increase in unemployment, the closing or suspension of operations for many businesses, a drastic reduction in the capacity to produce many goods and services, and a significant reduction of disposable household income. To assist with these economic emergencies, federal, state, and local governments have passed legislation to aid households and businesses, including some programs for nonprofits. This brief groups the actions of all levels of government into four categories: general business support, small business support, industry-specific support, and unemployment benefits for individuals. The subsequent sections offer a summary of each program and a link …