The Rural Livability Project

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Downtown Toolbox

January 28, 2024
Landscape shot of a series of hills overlooking a rural township in the bottom corner.

The downtown, or main street district, of a community can be an important contribution to the livability of a community. In addition to offering curb appeal, it also can provide necessary and nice-to-have services locally. The Downtown Toolbox helps communities understand their downtown market, such as identifying leakages and business opportunities.

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Read our latest news and updates
In the news: “The Wobbly Infrastructure Behind Aging in Rural Communities” in Shelterforce
Shelterforce interviewed ​Erin Gaede about rural housing challenges for older adults. The article highlights findings from the Rural Livability Project, showing how housing costs, deteriorating…
In the News: Rural Livability Research Featured in News Works Lab
News Works Lab interviewed Erin Gaede about her research on private equity firms buying up rural manufactured homes. Read the feature here!
New Publication: “Some Rural Residents are Trading Nutrition for Shelter” in the Daily Yonder
Erin Gaede, Yang Cheng, and Tessa Conroy wrote an article for the Daily Yonder based on their research about the impact of housing financial stress…