Co-Center Director: Marie Miller (mpm2213@columbia.edu)

The Economic Development Center uses research-based methods to advocate against exploitative development and business governance. We will apply this approach to two projects this coming year.

Columbia has long been a figure in the gentrification and removal of affordable, rent-controlled housing. In the past, we have hosted panel discussions with local housing justice advocates, published open letters to the administration advocating for allocation of rent-controlled units in new development, and produced long form reports on the history of community protest against encroachment. This year, we are writing a historical analysis of Columbia's legal battles over land use in the Morningside Heights neighborhood.

As well as this, we are launching a new research project investigating the impacts of June 2024’s overruling of Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council on labor rights. Accountability measures for exploitative employers and industries will be constrained in a post-Chevron environment, and the Labor Department’s authority will be reduced. We will develop a research paper to identify sectors most at risk and explore alternative ways to protect workers’ rights.