Economic Development Strategic Plan Survey

via Commissioner Rader

For a new economic development strategic plan to respond to the unique and diverse voices in DeKalb, your participation and collaboration are key! The process will aim to identify new strategies for recruiting and retaining businesses, identify the right places for the right types of commercial and residential development, and the programs that can make DeKalb a place where everyone can thrive.

We need your opinions, questions, and ideas to make the updated plan as actionable and responsive as possible.

You can find more information at DeKalbCountySEDP.com. District 2 residents and business owners can learn more about SEDP and be part of the conversation. A business survey will be released in October, as well.

TOWNHALL MEETING #2:
Oct 24, 2018 - 6:30-8:30pm - Stonecrest City Hall, Suite 155, Stonecrest

Please join the Economic Development Strategic Plan staff and consultant team for an update and further discussion of the SEDP. Discussion topics will include DeKalb County's demographic and real estate changes, quality of life, potential target industries, and key future employment centers.

On the up side

The Atlanta Business Chronicle highlights positive economy indicators for the Atlanta area:

1. Per the US Census for 2011, population growth points to investment in urban areas (vs. exurban)

 ... from 2000-2010, Cobb, Fulton, Dekalb, and Gwinnett Counties added an average of 42,779 people per year, while the 14 counties on the edge of the region added an average of 57,425. From 2010-2011, however, the close-in counties added 55,168 people (up 29 percent from the 2000-2010 rate) while the edge counties added 21,077 (down 63 percent). At a finer grain level, growth in Fulton and Dekalb outpaced Gwinnett and Cobb last year by 26 percent, a stark reversal of the prior decade’s patterns. . . . the next 24 months are going to be all about close-in, lifestyle oriented product, and that looks like a trend that will stick. Whether hunting for land, raising money to break ground, or rehabbing existing product to take advantage of energy related tax credits, the action is decidedly urban.

2.  Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Georgia salaries were average as of May 2011 (annual pay of $42,590 vs national average of $45,230). This places Georgia 24th in the nation, bracketed by Mississippi ($34,770) and Washington, D.C. ($74,540).