The Northeast-Midwest Institute researches federal economic and community development programs and opportunities as part of its mission to encourage economic vitality for the region and the nation. The Institute explores strategies for federal economic development initiatives, analyzes legislation, tracks trends, and distributes information to educate and inform Congressional staff, federal policy makers, and state officials.  Institute efforts have addressed a range of federal policies, including the Community Development Block Grant program, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, community infrastructure, brownfields redevelopment, housing, business development, and industrial energy efficiency.

Federal policy can and does help the nation's historic core cities and close-in suburbs face challenges that impede their economic vitality, but federal efforts have not kept pace with growing challenges.  Many older communities, especially the historic manufacturing, industrial, and transportation centers located in the Northeast and Midwest, have suffered from population declines and lack of traditional employment opportunities – trends that have adverse implications for the upkeep of existing infrastructure, the effectiveness of traditional revitalization strategies, and the flow of federal funds from programs that allocate dollars based on population.  Sluggish markets and falling populations undermine the economic vitality and strain the municipal resources of older communities.  Some cities and suburbs face difficulties with brownfields and vacant properties, aging infrastructure, housing, commercial and industrial activity, and declining tax bases.

The objective of the Northeast-Midwest Institute's urban revitalization work is to encourage regional economic vitality and rejuvenate challenged communities by making insightful and concise federal policy recommendations.

Many older core cities and close-in suburbs need the federal government as a partner in their revitalization efforts. In response to a growing interest in federal action, the Northeast-Midwest Institute is working with members of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional and Senate Coalitions to explore how federal policy can help older core cities and suburbs with community revitalization challenges.

In the fall of 2007, the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition established the Revitalizing Older Cities (ROC) Congressional Task Force. Members of Congress sharing an interest in restoring prosperity to America’s great historic transportation hubs and manufacturing cities of the Northeast and Midwest now have a structured group in which members exchange legislative ideas, create effective policy, and utilize the research capabilities of the Northeast-Midwest Institute. Representatives Brian Higgins (D-NY) and Mike Turner (R-OH) co-chair the ROC Task Force, which is currently made up of 15 members.

Current Projects

• Revitalizing Older Cities Initiative

Related Projects

• Brownfields