FNSB Department of Community Planning
Bernardo Hernandez, Director
(907) 459-1260
planning@co.fairbanks.ak.us

COMMUNITY RESEARCH CENTER
Janet Davison
(907) 459-1212 phone
(907) 459-1255 FAX
jdavison@co.fairbanks.ak.us

Community Research Center Mission Statement

The Community Research Center was created in 1974 during the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. CRC remains under the umbrella of the Borough Community Planning Department. The Community Research Center (CRC) Mission Statement is to meet a continuing need for reliable socio-economic information about the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Our mission is to maintain an independent, reliable and objective socio-economic data base of relevance to Borough residents covering economic conditions, energy, employment, housing and real estate, costs, population and social conditions.

CRC's mission is three fold: 1) Information Gathering; 2) Resources and Services; and 3) Information Dissemination.

1) Information Gathering - The Community Research Center collects information
about the social and economic conditions of the Fairbanks North Star Borough
(FNSB) for planning, decision making, policy formation, market analysis and economic development efforts. In addition to compiling statistics from various governmental and private entities, the CRC regularly conducts surveys related to local housing and cost of living.

As information gatherer for the borough since 1974, CRC has amassed an impressive body of data, providing the most comprehensive source of social and economic information on the Fairbanks North Star Borough. CRC's participation with the U.S. Census Bureau's survey process has availed a first hand look at the data compiled in their reports. Much of the Census data is use in the community for things such as building projections, grant applications, etc.

2) Resources and Services - The Community Research Center maintains a CRC Library that has over 3,000 titles of publications, reports and periodicals on population, and economic, social and environmental conditions in the borough. All of this information is available for government, business and individual use with a computerized database to help in locating particular subjects.

3) Information Dissemination - The Fairbanks North Star Borough Community
Research Quarterly is a summary of the information compiled by CRC and is published on a quarterly basis. The publication presents data on social and economic trends in the borough with five broad areas of interest: ECONOMIC INDICATORS, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, COST OF LIVING, AND POPULATION & SOCIAL CONDITIONS.

The Community Research Center staff also responds to specific information requests. Special research projects and speaking presentations for local clubs, organizations, media and individuals are all in a days work. The information collected and published is used by all sectors of the community. National and international investment groups make decision to invest in the Fairbanks North Star Borough based on data drawn from the Community Research Quarterly and its staff.