Too Early to Say: Applied Economics Research Lab
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Featured Research
Recent analysis with policy implications
What Happens When You Measure Crime Where People Actually Live?
What happens when you swap county averages for neighborhood data? A 22-fold range in crime rates emerges. County-level data suggests crime has no effect on employment. Neighborhood-level data suggests it does.
Key Finding from This Research
- 22-fold variation in crime rates within Santa Clara County, from 23 to 498 per 100,000
- County-level analysis shows null effects; PUMA-level analysis reveals significant relationships
- Spatial crosswalk methodology maps 462 police agencies to 275 PUMAs using TIGER/Line spatial joins
Based on analysis of 817,000 California adults using CA DOJ crime data and ACS 5-year PUMS, 2018-2022.
The Unfunded Mandate: How Federal Promises Shape School Budgets
When Congress passed IDEA, they promised to fund 40% of special education costs. They've never come close. The actual number hovers around 15%.
Better Access, Higher Vulnerability: What 9,033 California Tracts Reveal
Most vulnerable communities have the best geographic food access. Analysis of 9,033 California tracts reveals the vulnerability paradox.
The Special Education Spending Puzzle
Some California school districts have substantially more money than others. Yet they all spend roughly similar shares on special education.
Research by Topic
Research articles organized by subject. Click a topic to explore.
Food Security
Food access, SNAP enrollment, grocery store distribution, and the complex relationship between geography and food insecurity.
Transit Equity
How transit access shapes economic opportunity. Mobility deserts, accessibility measurement, and transportation barriers.
Education Policy
School funding, special education budgets, and how districts respond to fiscal constraints and stimulus funding.
Methodology
How we do research: data validation, transit routing, API collection, and AI-integrated workflows with code examples.
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