Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Cleveland Financial Empowerment Neighborhoods Of Strategic Focus: Data Profile, Molly Schnoke, Ronnie A. Dunn, Jack Yochum

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This report primarily focuses on the data that supports the need for financial empowerment policies, programming, and planning in the City of Cleveland, with a specific focus on the target neighborhoods identified. Demographic and economic data alike show that residents in target neighborhoods face substantial challenges when it comes to economic stability and mobility. This is true citywide for minority populations, especially, and the target neighborhoods of this project face notable challenges beyond that.

The neighborhoods targeted for this project include Downtown, Central-Hough, Glenville-Collinwood, Buckeye-Woodhill, Broadway-Slavic Village, Clark Fulton, and Old Brooklyn. Together, these neighborhoods contain over 256,000 residents, which …

Curated Storefront: Examination By The Center For Economic Development, Molly Schnoke, Kristen A. Blazek, Jack Yochum, René-Simone Martin

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

In early 2025, Curated Storefront contracted the Center for Economic Development at Cleveland State University to examine the impact of the organization’s programs that support and underwrite the installation of artistic works in unoccupied or vacant storefront spaces concentrated along the main commercial corridor of downtown Akron. This report serves to contextualize the organization's work within relevant and practitioner literatures on place-based economic development, storefront revitalization, and creative placemaking, examine the community’s understanding of the organization and its work, and provide guidance and strategic recommendations for moving forward.

Affordability: Practitioner Definitions And Perspectives From The Field, Molly Schnoke, Kristen A. Blazek

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

What does Affordability mean when it comes to housing? The Center for Economic Development utilized housing data and stakeholder interviews to assess the county's housing needs. The study addresses challenges such as mismatched housing stock, an aging population, affordability issues, and programming difficulties.

When Colleges Drop Out Of The Economy, Kristen A. Blazek

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

We explore the profound economic impact of small liberal arts colleges faltering and failing in various countries. These institutions have long been the backbone of their communities, providing stability and growth. However, due to declining birth rates, pandemic recovery, high costs, cultural shifts, and waning confidence, many are struggling. Our research investigates the economic consequences of this large-scale rightsizing of the university system across five continents, highlighting differences in higher education supply chains and interconnectedness. We'll delve into the specifics of enrollment trends, closures, and financial challenges in the U.S., Chile, England, South Korea, and Egypt, and analyze the ripple …

Casting Spells On The Economy: The Economic Impact Of A Wizarding School On A National Economy, Kristen A. Blazek

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Wizarding World is cloaked in mystery, a secret society of dragons, spells, and broomsticks. Living beyond the ordinary in the back alleys and behind the veil, what are the economic impacts of having one of the few wizarding schools, and how does that compare to the economic impact of the traditional American college? Unlike traditional American Colleges, Wizarding schools do not need to pay for electricity or offer WIFI; however, they still need to purchase food, books, and supplies. The recent increase in liberal arts colleges and universities closing in the United States has significantly impacted the economy. Nortre …

Put-In Bay Current Conditions Report, Molly Schnoke, Jack Yochum, René-Simone Martin

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This document serves as a current conditions report for the Put-In-Bay island chain of North, Middle, and South Bass Islands in Lake Erie. The following sections will cover financial, tax, and levy data; the geographic context of the three Bass Islands, including the land area of the Township and governmental structure; percentage of public and privately-owned land summary; public education; and demographic, housing, and economic data for the households on the islands.

The Loss Of Institutional Knowledge And Capital: The End Of Notre Dame College, Molly Schnoke, Kristen A. Blazek, Candi Clouse

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Notre Dame College of Ohio was a staple in South Euclid Ohio for over 100 years, starting as a women’s training college and moving to a college helping local disadvantaged students experience a place of higher learning, closed in May 2024. Over a century of learning in their hallowed halls, students no longer sit in the classroom and venture the grounds. This tale of a small college closure is a growing trend throughout the United States. Small cities are having to grapple with the loss of their hometown institutions. Not only are the students left with limited options for continuing …

The Nasa John H. Glenn Research Center: An Economic Impact Study Fiscal Year 2023, Molly Schnoke, Georgina Figueroa, Jack Yochum

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Economic Vitality Index 2022: Disparate Recovery Across Ohio, Molly Schnoke, Georgina Guadalupe Figueroa, Jack Yochum

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Center for Economic Development tracks the economic health of Ohio's 88 counties using the Economic Vitality Index (EVI). After establishing a baseline with 2019 data and analyzing pandemic impacts through 2021, the 2022 EVI shows resilience amid inflation and high interest rates. Urban counties like Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Montgomery display positive recovery trends, whereas Appalachian counties in Southern Ohio continue to face economic challenges.

Cleveland Innovation District: A Cippo Panel Brief, Molly Schnoke

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Innovation District Policy Highlights, Molly Schnoke

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Realizing Innovation And Sustainability: A Case Study Of Macau Sar’S Smart City Development Capabilities, Yujia He, Felix Ter Chian Tan, Carmen Leong, Jingbo Huang, Don Rodney Junio

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

The emergence of digital technologies has transformed organizational innovation with important implications for a city, its economy and policymaking. Despite this, research on how capabilities underpin innovation through smart city initiatives is still lacking. To address this gap, we conduct an empirical investigation of smart city initiatives in Macau, a former Portuguese colony and now special administrative region (SAR) of China. The case study adopts a qualitative approach, using data collected through fieldwork observations and in-depth interviews with stakeholders, and analysis of secondary documents. The study develops a stage-based assessment of innovation capabilities related to the use of technologies in …

Investing In The Middle, Molly Schnoke, Jack Yochum, Shannon Driscoll, James Flanigan

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Middle Neighborhoods (MNs) are generally recognized for their safety, stability and affordability for residents. They also provide an important opportunity to give lower-income populations access to affordable housing and an overall higher quality of life, but the number of MNs is declining throughout the U.S. Recognizing these opportunities and challenges regarding MNs, the research team set out to fill in the existing knowledge gaps about which public policies and programmatic activities are effective at 1) stabilizing MNs and 2) providing equitable access for lower-income and marginalized populations to join and stay in MNs.

A Healthier Community For Generations To Come: Creating Resilient And Equitable Development On Lower 9th Ward Corridors, Sarah Bechdel, Dov Block, Bailey Bullock, Ellis Combes, Laura Harris, Samuel Mercier, Maya Struhar

Planning and Urban Studies Reports and Presentations

The Healthier Community for Generations to Come report provides Sankofa Community Development Corporation with programmatic recommendations to assist in the revitalization of the Lower Ninth Ward (LNW). This report draws on extensive research in urban planning best practices to propose strategies that promote economic revitalization, housing sustainability, community health, and environmental resilience. The research was guided by an Urban Land Institute (ULI) Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) which engaged the LNW community to inform recommendations. Sustainability analysis, equity planning, resilience planning, market analysis, and GIS analysis methodologies were employed to create the report. The final report recommendations included a site SWOT, …

Front International: Cleveland Triennial For Contemporary Art 2022 Economic Impact Study, Molly Schnoke, Shannon Driscoll, Jack Yochum, Izzy Esler

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

FRONT International Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art 2022 public art exhibit ran from July 16 through October 2, 2022. The FRONT exhibit takes place every three years and this iteration, Oh, Gods of Dust and Rainbows, was displayed in Cleveland and Akron, OH at a variety of locations through partnerships with museums and other institutions in the region. This study uses a multi-regional input-output (I-O) model to estimate the effect of the exhibit on the economies of the Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor and Akron Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The economic impact consists of two components: impact of visitor spending and impact of the …

The Economic Opportunity Mapping (Eom) Tool, Craig W. Carpenter, Anders Van Sandt, Rebekka Dudensing, Scott Loveridge, Linda S. Niehm

Journal of Extension

Extension professionals increasingly understand data as integral to economic development planning and related efforts. However, regional economic data is often inaccurate, expensive, and unengaging for stakeholders. The Economic Opportunity Mapping Tool provides industry-specific free online interactive maps to engage stakeholders in the process of economic development planning, while also helping connect the determinants of business location with real local data on industry establishments.

Driving The Southern Nevada Health Economy Forward: Benefits Of A Transformational Unlv Academic Health Center, Tripp Umbach

Policy Briefs and Reports

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) plans to develop an integrated academic health center within the Las Vegas Medical District (LVMD). The academic health center includes UNLV’s five health science schools and mental and behavioral health, which is distributed among several colleges (medicine, liberal arts, urban affairs, and education) in the university. University Medical Center (UMC), a major teaching hospital, will also be an important driver of the academic health center. For the purposes of this report, UNLV’s medical and health science entities along with UMC are referred to collectively as the UNLV Academic Health Center. Additional academic health …

The Evolution Of The Southern Nevada Healthcare Economy: Building The Unlv Academic Health Center, The Lincy Institute

Lincy Institute Events

With the successful launch of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV and the completion of its medical education building, Southern Nevada is positioned to expand its healthcare infrastructure - and its healthcare economy - to create a comprehensive, integrated healthcare system to serve our fast-growing community. As UNLV moves forward with the development of an integrated academic health center within the Las Vegas Medical District, understanding the economic and social benefits of such a transformational project is important to stakeholders throughout the region.

The Lincy Institute hosted representatives of Tripp Umbach - the nation's leading consultant on community …

Executive Summary: Driving The Southern Nevada Health Economy Forward, Tripp Umbach

Policy Briefs and Reports

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) plans to develop an integrated academic health center within the Las Vegas Medical District (LVMD).1 The academic health center includes UNLV’s five health science schools and mental and behavioral health, which is distributed among several colleges (medicine, liberal arts, urban affairs, and education) in the university. University Medical Center (UMC), a major teaching hospital, will also be an important driver of the academic health center. For the purposes of this report, UNLV’s medical and health science entities along with UMC are referred to collectively as the UNLV Academic Health Center.

Innovation Policy Landscape: Federal And State Innovation Policies And Programs Across The United States, Iryna Lendel, Shannon Driscoll

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The study reviews state science and innovation policies across the United States. This research informs the state of Ohio innovation initiatives on the landscape of science and innovation federal and statewide policies in other states, highlights similarities and differences of the policies, and develops a typology of the policies. Special attention is given to the group of benchmark states for Ohio. The research was presented to JobsOhio and other attendees at the CIPPO conference on July 13, 2022.

Aspirational Industries For Workforce Development In Youngstown, Iryna Lendel, Iryna Demko, Scott Corsi, Madeline Frantz

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Youngstown faces a transforming economy, contributing to a growing workforce gap in the region as legacy industries invest in advanced technologies requiring new and increasingly specialized skills. This report identifies Youngstown industries that provide opportunities for workforce development through analysis of regional wage and productivity trends between 2019 and 2020, as well as an examination of regional competitive advantage using shift share analysis. We found that seven of the region’s forty-seven economic base and aspirational industries demonstrated strength in all three areas of analysis, with strong representation from within the manufacturing sector and related industries like construction suppliers and equipment …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Ohio's Supply Chain, Iryna Lendel, Iryna Demko, Georgina Figueroa, Matthew Saneda

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This study examines the changes in four of Ohio’s economic sectors from 2019 to 2020 in order to analyze the effect of COVID-19 Ohio supply chains. Through this analysis, our goal is to identify changes during the pandemic and determine future growth opportunities in Ohio’s supply chain. The four sectors chosen to be studied are High Tech and Innovation, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Health Care. Each of these four sectors includes several industries; High Tech and Innovation includes 6, Agriculture includes 19, Manufacturing includes 328, and Health Care includes 10.

To best understand the overall changes in the sectors from 2019 …

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: Polarization, Iryna Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Frantz Madeline

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Resource Gaps For Minority Entrepreneurs: Toledo Business Survey And Interviews Findings, Iryna Lendel, Jack Yochum, Madeline Frantz, Georgina Figueroa

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This publication details the state of Toledo’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (EE) through the lenses of service providers and clients. The Center conducted a total of 12 interviews with service providers across the Toledo EE to uncover the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the services the Business Growth Collaborative (BGC) provided. We combined this with survey responses from entrepreneurs in the region to identify how their perceptions of the EE were consistent with and differentiated from those of the service providers. This report closes by providing actionable items for the BGC to pursue that directly address the gaps in support.

Nevada Economic Development And Public Policy 2022-2026: A Sustainable Future For All Nevadans, The Lincy Institute, Brookings Mountain West

Policy Briefs and Reports

This report evaluates economic development efforts in the State of Nevada since the 2011 publication of Unify, Regionalize, Diversify: An Economic Development Agenda for Nevada; assesses demographic and economic trends for Nevada and its regions; examines how state and federal actions since the onset of COVID-19 can position Nevada and its regions to address long-standing economic, educational, and social deficits; and offers policy recommendations to be implemented in the next four years to facilitate a sustainable future for all Nevadans.

Measuring The Economic Impact Of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (Esops) On Ohio, Michael Palmieri, Iryna Demko

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This study focuses on Ohio companies with an Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) - the most common form of employee ownership in the U.S. Literature on the positive impacts of employee ownership at the individual and company level has grown in recent decades finding that individual employee-owners have longer tenure, more household wealth, higher wages, larger retirement accounts, and opportunities to participate in company decisions. At the company level research finds that employee-owned companies perform better than conventional companies on several performance metrics including overall survival rates, productivity, employment growth, and sales. Findings from both individual and company level studies …

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.

The Rise Of Southern Nevada As A Cluster For Metropolitan Transit Technology Innovations, Arthur C. Nelson

Policy Briefs and Reports

Southern Nevada is emerging as the nation’s leader in private sector-driven innovations in transportation technologies. From the humble beginnings of a monorail system serving a portion of major hotel and gaming venues along the Las Vegas Strip, now supplemented by an array of people movers, Southern Nevada continues to attract transit innovations in tunneling, Hyperloop, and driverless vehicle delivery technologies. The region may soon anchor a high-speed rail system connecting Southern Nevada to Los Angeles. The purpose of this briefing paper is to frame the nature of this emerging transportation cluster and the opportunities this creates for Southern Nevada to …

The Impact Of New Light Rail Service On Employment Growth In Portland, Oregon, Lahar Santra

Dissertations and Theses

This study quantitatively examines the impact of the new Light Rail Transit (LRT) service on employment growth in retail, knowledge, and service sectors before and after opening the LRT. At the corridor level, this study conducts a case study of Greenline in Southeast Portland, Oregon. The results of the corridor level study suggest that the new LRT service increased employment along the Greenline corridor among all the three sectors of interest- retail, knowledge, service in the long-term (ten years) while having slightly different results for the short-term (five years), likely due to the slow growth of LRT benefits. This study …

Food Systems Financing Action Plan, Noah Holmes Foster

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Food insecurity is a well-documented issue in Virginia and throughout the United States. Food enterprises, especially those in under-resourced communities, often lack access to the credit needed to start or expand their operations due to the narrow profit margins of food enterprises. Community development financial institutions (CDFIs), such as Virginia Community Capital (VCC) address this issue by providing low-interest financing to food businesses that can increase food security and strengthen local economies. Food systems financing is a developing field for VCC and other CDFIs, and changes to standard practices are required to ensure that lending is as accessible as possible …