Summary
The Center for Regional Analysis (CRA) mission is to provide research and technical assistance to local government and businesses, primarily located in the Washington DC Metro region. These efforts focus on economic, demographic, transportation, housing and fiscal issues.Information
Website: cra.gmu.edu Twitter: @GMU_CRA
Contacts:
Dr. Terry Clower (703) 993-8419 tclower@gmu.edu
Dr. Stephen Fuller (703) 993-3186 sfuller2@gmu.edu
Dr. Mark White (703) 993-2401 mwhite34@gmu.edu
Address: The Center for Regional Analysis
Schar School of Policy and Government
George Mason University
3351 Fairfax Drive, MSN 3B1
Arlington, Virginia 22201
History
The Center for Regional Analysis was formed in 1993 to undertake research on regional economic development policy focusing primarily on technologically intense regions. While some of its work initially focused on regional development policy in Europe and Asia as well as North America, much of its activity is concentrated on its immediate laboratory, the Washington DC region.
One of the Center’s first major initiatives was a conference on the future of the Northern Virginia Economy, held in May of 1994. The conference chronicled the recent development history of the Northern Virginia region including an analysis of its technology sector, which for the first time recognized that technology is the economic base of the region. The conference also unveiled the Center’s econometric input-output model of the regional economy, which was used to forecast different future economic scenarios. The initial work of the Center focused on examining the role of leadership in regional economic development. A theoretical approach was developed and tested in 1993 served as the theoretical rationale for the development of the Northern Virginia Business Roundtable. The Roundtable is a collection of some 100 CEOs from Northern Virginia businesses charged with developing intermediate and long range strategies for the region’s future. The Center has provided staff support for this initiative in areas such as industry targeting capital formation, higher education, elementary and secondary education, transportation and leadership development.
The Center, on the basis of earlier work on technology in the region for the Northern Virginia Technology Council and the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology, undertook the development of a technology database for the National Capital region under contract to the Greater Washington Board of Trade in the summer of 1994. This project, led by Dr. Roger Stough, was completed in the Spring of 1995 and for the first time provides an objectively defined estimate of the scale of the technology sector in the Washington DC region. The study demonstrated that technology accounts for a major proportion of the region’s economy and is focused on advanced technology services such as systems integration, information technology, telecommunication and biotechnology.
Dr. Stephen Fuller joined the Center in August of 1994 from George Washington University. Dr. Fuller is well known for his long standing analysis and knowledge of the National Capital region. In particular, he has developed a near term forecasting system for the Washington DC region using leading and coincident indices. He has also expanded the Center’s research on regional economic, housing and transportation issues.
Dr. Terry Clower is the current CRA Director after joining the Center and the GMU Faculty in August 2014. Prior to joining GMU, he was director for the Center for Economic Development and Research at the University of North Texas. Dr. Clower also spent 10 years employed in private industry in logistics and transportation management positions.
Team
Faculty
Terry Clower, Ph.D.
Northern Virginia Chair and University Professor
Director, Center for Regional Analysis, Schar School of Policy and Government
George Mason University, Arlington, Virginia
tclower@gmu.edu
Areas of Research: Economic Development, Economic Policy, Quantitative Methods, Regional Development, Transportation Policy, Regional Economic Performance, Economic Forecasting, Economic and Fiscal Impacts
Mark C. White, Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Center for Regional Analysis, Schar School of Policy and Government
George Mason University, Arlington, Virginia
mwhite34@gmu.edu
Areas of Research: Economic Development, Workforce Development, Strategic Planning, Regional Analysis, Industry Cluster and Value Chain Analysis, Policy Development and Analysis
Spencer A. Shanholtz
Research Associate, Center for Regional Analysis, Schar School of Policy and Government
George Mason University, Arlington, Virginia
sshanhol@gmu.edu
Areas of Research: Housing, Transportation, Population Demographics, Policy Analysis, Economic Development, Statistical and Economic Analysis, Data Visualization.
Affiliates
The Center frequently collaborates on projects with Schar School faculty members and other key partners. These affiliate partners allow the Center to take advantage of additional sources of expertise.
Katrin B. Anacker
Associate Professor of Public Policy
Areas of Research: Race and Ethnicity, Urban Policy, Housing
Lisa Sturtevant, Ph.D.
Dr. Sturtevant is the President of Lisa Sturtevant & Associates, LLC.
Areas of Research: Housing, Demographics, Residential Mobility, Policy Evaluation, Regional Economic Development, Quantitative Methods
Ellen Harpel, Ph.D.
Dr. Harpel is the founder and president of Business Development Advisors.
Areas of Research: Economic Development Strategies, Business Attraction & Development, Incentives, Workforce, International Projects, Policy Research, Services Research, Fiscal and Economic Impact
Agnès P. Artemel
Agnès Artemel is president of Artemel & Associates, Inc.
Areas of Research: Market Analysis, Feasibility Studies, Urban Revitalization, Transit-Oriented Development
John McClain
Mr. McClain is a senior professional with over 30 years of experience analyzing the Washington region and has been working with the Center since 2001.
Areas of Research: Regional Economic Development, Economic and Housing Analyses, Metropolitan Transportation Planning and Land Use Studies, Analysis of Real Estate Markets
John Milliken
Senior Fellow in Residence, Schar School of Policy and Government.
Areas of Research: Economic Development, Transportation
Kelley S. Coyner, J.D.
Senior Fellow in Residence, Schar School of Policy and Government.
Areas of Research: Transportation Law and Policy, Smart Cities/Digital Communities, Presidential and Gubernatorial Transitions, Workforce, Employment, Forecasting-population, Housing Policy, Regional Analysis and Economic Development, Evidence-Based Nonprofit and Public Policies and Programs
Research Assistants
Kurt Birson
Graduate Research Assistant, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy and Government.
Kurt Birson is a 2nd year doctoral student at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. His research interests include International Development, Labor, and Poverty and Inequality in Latin America.
Mr. Birson has an MA in Economics from The New School for Social Research, and a dual BA in International Political Economy and Latino Studies. Prior to entering the PhD program, Mr. Birson worked at the Center for Puerto Rican studies at CUNY Hunter College where he authored several reports and book chapters about the Puerto Rican community residing.
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Lokesh Dani
Graduate Research Assistant, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy and Government.
Lokesh Dani is a Graduate Research Assistant and a fourth year doctoral student at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. His research interests include Entrepreneurship Policy, Regional Growth, and Economic Development.
Mr. Dani has a M.S. degree from New York University with a concentration in International Business, Economics and Development, and a B.A. from Bucknell University in English. Mr. Dani also has over six years of research experience working in multiple professional environments both in the U.S. and abroad.
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Hyun Ju (Monica) Kim
Graduate Research Assistant, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy and Government.
Hyun Ju (Monica) Kim is a Graduate Research Assistant and a fifth year doctoral student at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. Her research interests include Regional Economic Development focusing on foreign aid effectiveness and its impact on household behaviors and regional economies.
Ms. Kim has a M.S. degree from George Mason University in Public Policy and a B.A. from Korea University in Korean History. Previously Ms. Kim worked as a research intern at US-Korea Institute in the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University.
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Keunwon (Abraham) Song
Graduate Research Assistant, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy and Government.
Abraham Song is a graduate research assistant and a third year PhD student in the Schar School of Policy and Government. His research interests are in transition economics, productivity, and firm & industry dynamics.
He received a M.A. in Political Science from the Middle East Technical University in Northern Cyprus and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Previously, he interned at the Korea Trade and Promotion Agency in Moscow, Russia, and worked for an international medical corporation in Seoul, South Korea.
Highlights
March 2017
- The federal budget blues: Region worries about the effects of Trump’s spending plan
- Conducting Business in an ‘Era of Uncertainty’
- Economist: Proposed Trump budget could cost northern Virginia up to 10,000 jobs
- Economists Say Trump Budget Could Undercut Metro Ridership Recovery
- Fairfax County economy alive and well
February 2017
- Job growth, uncertainty fuels 12-year low in Loudoun housing inventory
- D.C. region’s housing market exhibited strength in 2016.
- Fido is big business in N.J.: Pet industry has billion-dollar-plus impact
- Communities Can Benefit from Fast Action Planning for AVs.
- Officials express optimism, concern for region’s economy
- Federal hiring freeze hurts Virginia, says Governor
- New Study: Pet Industry is Economic Powerhouse
January 2017
2016
- N.Va. economy, housing market in flux as Trump readies for presidency
- What effect the Trump Administration will have on the housing market
- Rail-connected development driving regional growth in Dallas
- Building better communities through affordable homeownership
- GMU research addresses world issues
- D.C. Suburbs becoming one of the country’s fastest growing employment hubs
- Yahoo sale could have Loudoun job implications
- Housing prices, relationship with D.C. lead Loudoun Chamber’s “State of the Economy” discussion
- NAIOP: Development adds $450 billion ot US GDP
- Parks and recreation month
- New jobs in IT, bio health and data centers help region rebound from federal cutbacks
- Technology council program is aimed at finding talent
- Metro ridership is down, with WMATA pointing to external forces for drop
- Loudoun, Chesterfield counties lead in job growth
- Arlington (TX)’s same old pitch that sports will boost its economy shouldn’t fly
- Local Government: Budget Basics
- School of Policy, Government and International Affairs to be renamed the Schar School of Policy and Government
- Tri-City housing market mixed in first quarter
- The Economic Impact of an Increasingly Diverse Fairfax County
- Arlington ranked as one of the top cities for new graduates
- Funding metro is key to the region’s future
- Montgomery County breaks ground on new hospital
Research
Annual Conference
The Center for Regional Analysis organizes an annual Greater Washington Economic Conference. The conference provides community leaders, policymakers, area economists, government officials and interested citizens with an opportunity to think about the current and future state of the regional economy. The last conference, held in January 2016, was sponsored by Cardinal Bank and the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. See website for presentation materials from recent conferences.
Recent Presentations
Loudoun County Regional Real Estate Trends, Dr. White, Dulles Area Association of Realtors, Economic Summit, March 24, 2017
Housing Market Trends in the Washington Area, Dr. Clower, Apex Home Loans’ 8th Annual Spring Housing Briefing, March 23, 2017
Washington Area & Northern Virginia Performance and Outlook, Dr. Clower, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, Market and Economic Briefing, March 22, 2017
Assessing Alexandria/Arlington’s Regional Labor Market, Dr. White, Arlington/Alexandria Regional Workforce Council, March 6, 2017
2017 National and Washington Area Regional Economic Outlook, Dr. Clower, 25th Annual Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Economic Conference, February 1, 2017
The Stafford County and Washington Metro Area Economy: Performance and Outlook, Dr. White, Stafford County Economic Forum, November 10, 2016.
Washington Area & Northern Virginia Economic Performance and Outlook, Dr. Clower, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, Economic Summit, November 10, 2016.
Economic Outlook for the US and DC Metro Area, Dr. Clower, RSM Clients, Alumni & Friends Event, November 3, 2016.
Washington Area Economy: Performance and Outlook, Dr. Clower, Mid-Atlantic Lenders Conference, Mortgage Bankers Association of Metropolitan Washington, November 2, 2016.
Washington Area Economy: Performance and Outlook, Ms. Coyner, Committee for Dulles, September 22, 2016.
Economic Impacts of Virginia’s Housing Industry, Dr. Clower, Virginia Housing Commission, September 21, 2016.
Washington Area Economic: Performance and Outlook, Dr. Clower, Jefferson Institute for Public Policy, Second Annual Conference on Virginia’s Economic Future, September 14, 2016.
Click here for Past Presentations
Regional Data
The Center for Regional Analysis produces more than 60 charts and graphs summarizing trends in the national and regional economies and housing markets. Data elements include gross domestic product, jobs, unemployment, consumer confidence, oil prices, coincident and leading indices, interest rates, sales of existing and new homes, home prices, and regional economic forecasts, among other items. There is information for the overall regional economy, as well as select economic and housing data for Northern Virginia, Suburban Maryland and the District. This set of charts is updated when new data are released.
Download the current set of regional indicators.
Data are updated generally on the following schedule:
- U.S. employment situation – 1st Friday of the month
- U.S. housing data – 3rd week of the month
- Regional employment data – 3rd week of the month
- Regional unemployment rates – 4th week of the month
- Regional housing data – 2nd week of the month
