As our communities address growth and development impacts upon the provision of local services, there is a need for economic development planning both within and outside an individual community’s borders. CNHRPC offers a variety of local and regional economic development planning services to advocate for housing choice and support development that will maintain sustainable communities. These services include:

• comprehensive economic development planning
• economic development planning circuit rider services
• implementation assistance
• survey research
• community visioning session facilitation
• grant writing
• fiscal impact analysis and Cost of Community Services Studies
• the development of impact fee ordinances
• capital improvement programs
• tourism studies

Additionally, in the past CNHRPC has provided support to state agencies and community agencies in generating regional economic data and housing reports. Some other services include:

• Economic Profile Analysis: An economic profile analysis will look at a community’s economy in an effort to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. In addition, an economic profile will consider the state and regional economy and how a community is impacted by, and how they can capitalize upon those industries that are expected to grow. An economic profile can lay the groundwork for a comprehensive economic development strategy.

• Economic Development Strategy: An economic development strategy identifies the vision and needs of a community with regard to economic development. Understanding that many factors impact a local economy, a comprehensive strategy addressing strengths and weaknesses is needed. The strategy will, as a result, be specific and unique to the community.

• Regulatory Audits: Like an audit for land use, the regulatory audit for economic development will look at the regulatory framework through the lens of economic development. Things like favorable zoning and a regulatory framework friendly to business development can be considered.

• Economic Development Project Implementation Assistance: Often times economic development efforts require access to data sources as well as certain technical abilities. For instance, often times a community will need to leverage additional funding for economic development projects, and grant-writing technical assistance is needed. With this in mind, CNHRPC can provide assistance across the spectrum with regard to economic development implementation.