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Economic Development Tools

Overview

Economic Development Tools

Cities and counties use a variety of approaches to actively promote their local economy’s growth and vitality. Economic development efforts also provide ways for local officials to promote healthier neighborhoods.

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Quality of Life and Healthy Work Places

Research has shown that many businesses, particularly those that offer more generous wages and benefits, choose to locate and stay in communities that deliver a higher quality of life to current and prospective employees.  In many cases, these quality–of-life elements — trails and bikeways, parks and recreation programs, walkable town centers, urban forests and neighborhoods free of excessive noise and air pollution — also contribute to a healthier population.

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Revitalizing Neighborhoods

Communities change over time, evolving in response to demographic trends, changing economic conditions and other circumstances. Guiding this change in a positive direction is an important function of local government, particularly in older neighborhoods that have lost jobs and local businesses as their traditional economic activities have weakened or become obsolete. These neighborhoods often suffer from aging infrastructure and inadequate public and private investment as well as other social and economic challenges.

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