Shaping tech for the common good.
Tech Policy & Enablement
State and local governments sit at the forefront of regulating and enabling technology for the common good, setting the rules for an industry that is reshaping economies, communities, and public institutions alike. The policies they establish — from procurement and data governance to land use and tax incentives — determine whether tech-driven economic development creates broadly shared opportunity or concentrates its benefits among the few. Those same policies shape how quickly and responsibly government agencies adopt new tools to improve the quality and accessibility of public services. HR&A helps governments, universities, utilities, companies, and community organizations measure the impacts of disruptive technologies, design programs and incentives that strengthen local innovation ecosystems and workforces, and build the capacity to adopt new technologies in ways that make government more efficient and effective.
HR&A conducted a comprehensive impact analysis for Airbnb, examining the effects of New York City's Local Law 18, which effectively banned most short-term rentals in September 2023. Through pre- and post-enforcement data analysis, HR&A demonstrated that the law significantly reduced short-term rental income for homeowners who relied on Airbnb rentals, reduced the net new economic activity that many Airbnb guests brought to the outer boroughs, and reduced the availability of accommodations for tourists – already in short supply.
HR&A prepared the first comprehensive impact study for Empire AI, demonstrating how New York's state-of-the-art AI compute center is accelerating research and positioning the state as a national leader in responsible AI. Our economic analysis for Friends of Empire AI showed that the Alpha system has already supported more than 130 research projects, helping teams compress months of work into days through shared, world-class supercomputing.
HR&A collaborated with the Schott Foundation to develop community-driven standards for responsible AI implementation in education, creating frameworks and resources that protect BIPOC students from algorithmic bias while ensuring youth, families, and educators have meaningful voice in technology decisions that affect their schools and futures.
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HR&A conducted the first comprehensive economic and fiscal impact analysis of WeWork communities for the company, quantifying benefits across New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Our analysis demonstrated that WeWork would rank among the largest private-sector employers in these cities, supporting 50,000 jobs with each member creating one additional job elsewhere in their respective city, representing nearly one percent of each city's workforce and establishing WeWork's crucial role in growing innovation economies and entrepreneurial communities.
HR&A conducted a comprehensive economic and fiscal impact analysis for Cornell Tech, quantifying the institution's contributions to New York City's economy through campus construction, operations, student spending, and startup activity. The analysis showed that Cornell Tech generated $768 million in total economic impact and supported 2,800 jobs in FY 2022-2023, with projections showing growth to $1.5 billion in economic impact and 7,000 jobs by 2030, establishing the institution as one of the city's most effective economic development investments.
HR&A conducted a comprehensive update of the New York City Tech Ecosystem Study for ABNY, Tech:NYC, and Google, delivering influential analysis that shaped policy discussions on tech workforce development and economic growth. Our research revealed significant sector expansion to 7% of the 4.27 million people working in New York City in 2021, as well as critical challenges in diversity and talent retention. Our findings and recommendations for addressing representation gaps were featured in The New York Times and The City.
HR&A developed a comprehensive strategic plan for Georgia Institute of Technology to strengthen Tech Square's position as a globally competitive innovation district. Through visioning and strategic planning, HR&A delivered recommendations that directly informed the design of a new 420,000 square foot anchor building, established a framework for enhanced district governance, and created a roadmap for leveraging the district's diverse talent pipeline to cement Georgia Tech's role as a global convener of innovators.
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