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Craig Carpenter, Ph.D

Posted by msanderson | March 1, 2021

Craig Carpenter, Ph.D
Research Fellow
Michigan State University
Email: carpe224@msu.edu

Dr. Craig Carpenter completed his bachelor’s degree from Kalamazoo College and has a Ph.D. in Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics from Michigan State University. His major field was economic development with a focus in applied econometrics. Dr. Carpenter holds a joint appointment as an Extension Specialist in the Community, Food, and Environment Institute at Michigan State University Extension, and as an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. He specializes in community and regional economic development. Dr. Carpenter’s research expertise includes the interaction of race, ethnicity, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.

Dr. Carpenter’s primary goal is to help communities and businesses organize, understand research and local economic data, make informed decisions, and take action about community and economic development issues. Pursuantly, he develops research-based educational and data materials on local/regional community, economic, and business development issues, while publishing this research in academic journals. His programs underscore regional economic coordination, cooperation, and action, resulting from understanding their regional and historical context based on publicly available data.

Carpenter worked in partnership with Tyler Augst (MSU) and David Ivan (MSU).

Carpenter's Work

Redlining in Michigan: The History and Legacy of Racist Housing Policies

The history and legacy of redlining is an important cause of present-day housing inequities. The History of Redlining in Michigan website was created to engage decision-makers in this history and help visualize the lasting effects in their community, tying present-day policy choices to whether they address the lasting effects of redlining. Policymakers in Michigan have been supportive of this work and its integration into housing and planning efforts.
Visit Redlining in Michigan: The History and Legacy of Racist Housing Policies

Project Page: Best Practices in Suburban Housing Affordability

Suburban communities across the United States have different housing strengths and weaknesses; however, they have all experienced a steady rise in median housing prices. Lower housing affordability has a host of negative consequences including increased homelessness, poor health outcomes, unaddressed racial housing inequality, and lower disposable incomes. Although research and resources often focus on urban and rural areas, an increasing number of suburban areas face housing affordability pressure from rapidly expanding major urban cores. Similar housing pressures face regional metropolitan areas (anchored by smaller cities such as Boise, ID and Spokane, WA), which serve as economic, cultural, social, or health-care hubs for surrounding rural communities.
Visit Project Page: Best Practices in Suburban Housing Affordability