Discovering and applying new and innovative economic development tools, models, policies, and programs
Creating Jobs and Wealth in Distressed Michigan Communities
2012: The WebPolis Consortium
Student-Led, Faculty-Guided Project - 2012
Authors: Norman Tyler, Institute for Geospatial Research and Education, Eastern Michigan University
Summary
A varied array of local economic development policies and programs are available to local Michigan communities, but local leaders can be confused about how they can be utilized in their own community. One way to solve for this was through use of online resources. A suite of online applications for use by local governments was developed by faculty at Eastern Michigan University in conjunction with test communities and is known as the CityHallCommons (formerly WebPolis) Consortium. The available applications include a community discussion forum, online surveys, real estate financial analysis, loan and grant search engine, and a template for an online community newsletter. One of the most requested modules for the CityHallCommons Consortium was a local economic development application. This experience offered them a hands-on opportunity to better understand this knowledge through assisting in the development of a significant tool of local economic development.
Project Updated As Of September 30th, 2012
Author Information
Norman Tyler, PhD, FAICP, is emeritus faculty of the Urban and Regional Planning Program at Eastern Michigan University, where he was director of the program from 1990 to 2009. He received his Doctoral degree from the University of Michigan and his PhD from Michigan State University. He is is a registered architect and a certified planner, and in 2012 was selected as a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
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