Last Word: Time for States to Shine

Planning decisions throughout the commercial real estate industry are currently being influenced by uncertainty. For those seeking policy solutions, legislative action at the federal level is a less likely route than in the past. A 2024 analysis by Reuters found a 40-year downward trend in the number of bills, proposed measures, debates, and speeches. A range of factors, including well-publicized issues and increasingly divergent political viewpoints, has influenced this trend.

Market forces are also accelerating change. Private firms face dynamic challenges as the Fourth Industrial Revolution continues to gain speed. Technological innovation, changes in manufacturing, labor and population shifts, and other macro trends are creating new pressures. Yet while headlines focus on federal action, policymaking at the state and local levels could offer meaningful benefits to investors and businesses.

Read the full article from Area Development here.