Southern Economic Development Council

Housing Trends, Policies, and Opportunities

The American Southeast has seen an unprecedented level of investment into economic activity in new jobs in the last decade. The communities poised to gain the most from these investments are the ones with the infrastructure needed to accommodate not only industry, but people. Housing is a critical component of this equation.

In this webinar, we will highlight the importance of housing as a tool for economic development, especially in places where investment is flowing, but housing construction cannot meet demand. We will also examine the state of housing at the federal andregional level.

Through the lens of Fourth Economy’s work in the Southeast and nationwide, we will share effective methods for assessing a community’s unique housing needs, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative tools.

● Models for assessing demand
○ Gwinnett County, Georgia, 2045 Unified Plan
○ Pennsylvania Statewide Housing Action Plan
● Urban Housing Strategies
○ Brookhaven Comprehensive Plan (Dekalb County, Georgia)
● Rural Housing Strategies
○ Red River Community Housing Development Organization (Grand Forks,
Nelson, Pembina and Walsh Counties, North Dakota)

We will also touch on policy, programming, and funding strategies that communities should consider based on their needs, including insights into decision-making of the new administration in D.C.

The intended audience for this webinar is economic developers, community developers, urban planners, and housing developers in the American Southeast. Participants will leave with an understanding of how crucial housing is in the broader spectrum of economic development, what they should be thinking about in terms of their local housing needs, and how they can better plan for a more effective housing stock moving
forward.

The webinar will conclude with a 15-minute Q&A session with expert panelists, followed by an invitation to schedule follow-up Office Hours with the Fourth Economy team for personalized guidance and support.

Speakers:
Ross Berlin | Senior Consultant, Fourth Economy
Rich Overmoyer, President and CEO of Fourth Economy
Matthew Elder, Housing and Community Development Division Director for Gwinnett County Government.