Economic Development

“Of my 30+ year career in Fairfax County, two-thirds of that was spent focused on economic development. I’m committed to putting that expertise to work for the residents of Lee District. ” -Rodney Lusk

During his two decades at the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Rodney worked to bring some of the largest employers in our region to Fairfax County. Unfortunately, despite his repeated efforts, it was consistently difficult to convince those companies to locate outside of the Tysons and Reston area. That inequity is one of the principal reasons that Rodney decided to run for the Board of Supervisors.

One of the first actions that Rodney took after taking office was to bring forward and pass a Board Matter that jump-started the process of bringing a business incubator and employment accelerator to the Richmond Highway Corridor. That incubator will live within the new Lee District Community Center’s W.I.S.H. program and will provide the incentives necessary for startups and established businesses to locate and invest in our community.

Rodney also recognizes that our district benefits from economic development in other regions of our county. That’s why he continues to actively engage with the employers and partners that he helped bring to the County to ensure that Fairfax County continues to be the economic driver of our Commonwealth.

  • After an over 20 year career with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Rodney understands exactly what it takes to attract employers to our region and district. Rodney has worked directly to expand and support businesses both large and small in our district to expand or get established. Rodney successfully negotiated the development of the largest data center project in our district’s history. Since being in office, he has consistently moved with urgency to fill vacant commercial properties and incentivize owners to activate properties that are contributing to our commercial tax base.

  • Rodney is committed to ensuring that the people who live in our community are not displaced by development, but rather directly benefit from it. In partnership with Supervisor Walter Alcorn (Hunter Mill), Rodney has established the county’s first equity proffer standards. Under Rodney’s leadership, the land use and development process in Lee District now contains a requirement that developers of major projects make commitments to support current district residents in terms of workforce development and upskilling. This means making commitments to providing opportunities for local contractors to bid on construction projects, providing Rodney’s office with data on the profile of jobs that will be available when the project is completed, the skills and certifications necessary to fill those jobs, as well as potential philanthropic and programmatic support for the Workforce Innovation Skills Hub (WISH).

  • Rodney recognizes that sometimes economic projections are not perfect, and that we need to adapt. That’s why he led the budget request that resulted in the Board investing in a market rate assessment of the Springfield area. Based on the results of this study, we will be able to re-assess the comprehensive plan for Springfield and map out a path to revitalization that is achievable within future market conditions. Unlike other similar studies, Rodney has ensured that the report will not only contain a market assessment and recommendations, but also a road map for how to implement those recommendations.