panded into Arizona from California since 2015, including ZipRecruiter, Stitch Fix, Apple, and Google. Phoenix has been branding itself as a major tech and financial hub for years. It’s been capitalizing on California’s burdensome laws and taxes recently and in hilarious ways. The Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) launched the #CAStruggles campaign last year, targeting San Francisco tech companies. See timetogetout.io for an example of what Phoenix is pitching, including lower corporate taxes, lower personal taxes, shorter commute times, five professional sports teams, lower operating costs, better quality of life, and even more sunshine. Phoenix is better positioned to take on Covid-related impacts compared to most of it’s top-five city competi - tors. •
Phoenix was nice enough to include the investor commu- nity its usage.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR PHOENIX In 2008 during the financial crisis, Phoenix was in planning mode. Phoenix proclaimed, “Now is the right time; Phoenix is the right place.” Its leaders envisioned strategic partnerships with Arizona State University, distinguishing the downtown area as a biomedical hub, investing in its light rail system, and offering more varied housing forms across its downtown. Visiting Phoenix today, you can see how that vision has paid off. Visually, it’s easy to see with the growing diver- sity of housing, investments in multi-model transit, and openings of new retail and entertainment venues. It can be seen by the technology and finance companies it has attracted. For Phoenix there is another unique factor at play, regardless of the pandemic. Over 49 companies have ex-
Aaron Norris is VP of Market Insights for PropertyRadar. Aaron uses public records to explore market trends and shares insights to help Main Street investors disrupt disruptors. He writes and speaks nationally on real estate and technology.
Phoenix Arizona downtown skyline skyscrapers, palm trees in tropical sunset
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