Invest in Rural Community Livability
Background
People live in rural regions for lots of reasons, but for many, it is because they love the land and the quality of life. Rural areas offer tremendous benefits, including open space, natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and much more. However, decades of federal and state disinvestment and corporate extraction of rural resources have left many rural communities with few jobs and services, leading to a “brain drain” of rural people moving to cities in search of more opportunities.
But over the last five years, the COVID-19 pandemic drove people to think about work and life differently, with many city dwellers moving into small towns and rural areas. These trends continue, as remote workers can live where they want, and many people are finding it more difficult to afford urban life or are simply seeking a slower pace and connections with their neighbors. State lawmakers can support newcomers and longtime rural residents by investing in rural livability. Policymakers can ensure that statewide economic development and job training programs prioritize rural jobs. Too often, economic development and job training programs prepare workers and entrepreneurs to leave rural communities, rather than creating opportunities to stay and thrive. Job training and business development must focus on the new generation of rural economies including renewable energy, information technology, and new commodities like hemp. This focus on a just transition away from extractive industries to local wealth creation and good-paying jobs should be a critical part of rural economies.
In addition to good jobs, rural residents, whether longtime, returning, or newcomer, need healthy food, viable public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and safe communities in which to raise families. Policymakers can improve rural livability by investing in transportation, food access, and recreation infrastructure, while investing in jobs and financial infrastructure with economic multipliers that contribute, rather than extract, wealth from the community.
Policy Priorities
- Federal: Boost the well-being of rural areas with comprehensive legislation like the Rebuild Rural America Act of 2023, which sought to provide rural partnership block grants to support locally-driven comprehensive economic development efforts in rural regions, as well as strengthening infrastructure, disaster resiliency and promoting economic diversification.
- Federal & State: Invest in rail infrastructure, which benefits rural communities by creating jobs, improving supply chain efficiency and boosting agritourism.
- State: Create Departments of Rural Prosperity that work to balance economic growth with rural livability and a clean environment.
- State: Invest in public banking options.
- State: Invest in public recreation and green spaces that promote rural livability while attracting tourism.
- State: Invest in rural libraries to ensure equitable access to information, technology, and resources that support education, economic development and community well-being.
- State: Pass right to food legislation that gives state residents the unalienable right to grow, produce and consume food of their choice.
State Examples
- Colorado (2017 CO SB 267) passed a law to support local public transportation projects and earmarked one-fourth of the funds for projects in rural counties. Seven years later, the state directly invested in early development of a passenger rail service to its rural Front Range communities (2024 CO 22-176).
- In Texas (2021 TX HB 1294), lawmakers introduced legislation to exempt rural transit districts from motor fuel taxes on any fuel used exclusively to provide public transportation.
- Hawaii (2021 HI SB 1402) lawmakers enacted a bill requiring development of a plan to modernize the state’s ground transportation system, including prioritizing public mass transportation and establishing a contiguous network of bicycle and pedestrian pathways. The plan must provide equity for all communities and users, in recognition of how inequitable infrastructure investments have exacerbated disparities, particularly in rural areas.
- North Carolina (2019 NC SB 665) legislators considered the Omnibus Rural Investment Act to increase state matching funds for public recreation projects, such as rural hiking trails for smaller counties.
- California (2021 CA AB 1177) enacted a state-owned public banking option to support community banking, offering a zero-fee and zero-penalty bank account, debit card, and financial services to communities vulnerable to predatory financial institutions. Arizona (2023 AZ HB 2610) also considered establishing a state bank and Virginia (2022 VA HB 903) proposed establishing a bank that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging investments in green projects.
- By executive order, Michigan (2022-1 MI) created the Office of Rural Development to coordinate state activities impacting rural areas, including economic and workforce development, infrastructure, public health, and environmental sustainability.
- By ballot measure, Maine (Maine H.P. 61) adopted an amendment to its constitution that enshrines the unalienable right of every resident to grow, produce, and consume the food of their choice.
- New Mexico (2019 NM SB 264) established an endowment fund to support rural libraries, which provides annual grants to both established and developing libraries, creating a permanent source of financial support ensuring the stability and growth of libraries across the state.
Toolkits
Inspired? Ready to dig in on these issues with your rural neighbors? Our practical communications toolkits will help you connect with new communities through common values. The toolkits provide examples on narrative framing, press release templates, sample talking points, and more.
Click here for the communications toolkit on Investing in Rural Livability.