Dr. Robert Fountain is an accomplished regional economics researcher who started his career working as a consultant to the City of Los Angeles in 1975 while completing his UCLA dissertation.

He has since taught regional science and land use courses at UCLA and California State University, Sacramento; has founded a number of ongoing research centers and projects; and has received statewide and national recognition for his contributions to regional economic research. He has directed an impressive series of research projects which specialize in the relationship between development or policy decisions and the subsequent economic and fiscal outcomes at the regional and state level.

In addition to his highly credible academic achievement, he has a unique ability to reach beyond theoretical approaches to broader applied research. This approach can encompass economic, land development, local government policy, and financial aspects which cross many academic and research disciplines to provide broad “outside the box” analysis and solutions. This applied research approach is often an essential part of project feasibility analysis, local government fiscal analysis, regional economic development planning, corporate business plans, and business forecasting.

Tools of analysis include IMPLAN and REMI regional economic models; forecasting and statistical analysis using SPSS and other advanced statistical tools; household sample level analysis of census data; proprietary data services and data bases; and locational analysis using geo-coded land use and business location data bases.

He is currently conducting a number of studies of “Smart Growth” high density mixed use projects to show the necessity of integrating retail, employment generation, and senior services into this new urban development scenario.