Channel 9 News featured recent CRER research in a story about poverty trends in the Chattanooga metro area. CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall was quoted about some of this findings and their implications: “A good economy is absolutely necessary to reduce poverty, but it’s not going to be magic.” “Both areas saw decreased…
6/22/25: Chattanooga Jobs Boom Unevenly Improved Poverty, Study Finds
The Chattanooga Times Free Press featured a recent white paper from the CRER about poverty trends in the Chattanooga metro area. Quoted from CRER director Howard Wall included: “The jobs boom has been great for Chattanooga, including for its poverty, but there’s more to reducing poverty than just the jobs boom,” Wall said in a…
6/20/25: CRER Director Suggests Why Housing Development Might Be Sluggish
In an article about one cancelled and one stalled development, CRER director Howard Wall “said uncertainty involving interest rates, inflation, tariffs and the strength of the broader economy may cause banks to feel less willing to lock in on anything. The cost of housing materials didn’t really decrease after the pandemic.” “You look at the…
6/16/25: The Effect of Chattanooga’s Jobs Boom on Poverty Rates
In a new white paper, CRER director Howard Wall looks at trends in the official poverty rate in the Chattanooga metro area. The paper looks at the extent to which the recent jobs boom in the Chattanooga metro area has translated into a corresponding reduction in poverty. Following the national trend, Chattanooga’s official poverty rate…
5/19/25: Tennessee Graduates Face Workforce with Prospects of Wage Increase, ADP Data Reveals
CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall was featured in a story on News Channel 9 about wage increases in Tennessee. He explained that “For people who see their wages rising, as long as it’s above, say, two and a half, 2.3% then they’ll have seen an increase in their real wages.” “Government workers don’t…