LISC MetroEdge (LME) supports commercial corridor revitalization efforts throughout low-income neighborhoods in the United States by spotlighting their hidden retail profitability. To combat pernicious stereotypes of low-income areas as devoid of retail market potential, LME combines rigorous quantitative analysis with expert knowledge of retail development to identify low-income market advantages, assess market gaps, propose corrective public sector actions, and engage community leaders in retail strategy development.

Conventional retail market assessment tools rely on off-the-shelf national data sources that can be analyzed quickly and presented to chain retailers operating primarily in higher-income and homogeneous suburban markets. Unlike traditional methods, LME relies on national and local sources of data to develop powerful new metrics of retail market potential customized to specific neighborhoods.

Through hands-on work with community groups, local governments and other stakeholders, results are used to describe the marketplace, educate stakeholders, highlight pre-requisites for development, and steer scarce resources in the most productive directions.

Formerly a subsidiary of Shorebank Corporation of Chicago, MetroEdge became part of LISC in early 2006 through support provided by the MacArthur Foundation.

> Go to LISC MetroEdge website
LISC MetroEdge Program Summary(PDF, 85 KB)