Socioeconomic Modeling and Urban Planning
Applied Economics develops customized models and conducts research related to socioeconomic estimated and projections, retail market assessments and school enrollment projections.
Our socioeconomic work is conducted on regional, sub-regional and small area geographies. We specialize in developing models to prepare small area estimates and projections of socioeconomic variables such as population, housing units, income, enrollment and employment used in a variety of planning applications. These applications include transportation planning, school facility planning and retail development.
Demographic Studies include regional and small area estimates and projections of socioeconomic variables such population, housing units and employment are used in a variety of planning applications such as school enrollment projections and facility requirements, site location for other public facilities, and regional growth and transportation planning. We have experience developing the databases and enrollment projections that drive the projection process, as well as creating small-area allocation models.
Small Area Models estimate and project socioeconomic data for hundreds of traffic analysis zones within a metropolitan area for the purpose of transportation planning. Enrollment projection models, including enrollment by grade level have been developed for both short-term (5 year) and long term planning. These models vary in geographic detail from District totals only, to small areas referred to as "grids" that are typically one square mile in area.
Retail Market Assessments: These assessments may be for an entire city, or for a specific development such as a new regional mall. The assessments generally include a trade area analysis and identification of existing retailers, and a retail leakages analysis based on existing retail supply relative to consumer expenditures by category. These leakages are then translated into opportunities for specific types of new retail development in terms of building area and retail sales.
We also have experience in applying demographic and market analysis to low income housing projects. Applied Economics has conducted a number of market studies for proposed low income tax credit housing projects in rural areas of Arizona. These studies include an analysis of the market area population in terms of their socioeconomic characteristics, along with a survey rents and vacancies at existing comparable housing developments. The objective is to quantify the demand for additional low income housing to serve special population groups within a community
