Rupe Foundation Invests in Growing California Policy Research Partnership Between Pepperdine School of Public Policy and Beacon Economics

The Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP) has received a $100,000 grant from the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation to support its expansion of a partnership with Beacon Economics, strengthening collaborative research efforts focused on California’s economy, public policy, and regional economic development.

The grant will support several initiatives within the partnership, including continued publication of the Alternative Viewpoints on California Policy research series, expanded student research opportunities through a summer fellowship program, and the development of a major economic and budget forecasting event scheduled for fall 2026.

“This commitment from the Rupe Foundation makes possible something unique in California higher education: a research-focused center challenging the conventional wisdom of the state's and region's economic policies,” said Pete Peterson, Braun Family Dean’s Chair and Dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy.

The Arthur N. Rupe Foundation supports initiatives that strengthen education, encourage informed public debate, and advance research that contributes to public policy discussions. Through its grantmaking, the foundation supports scholarly work designed to reach broad audiences and inform decision-making on important societal issues.

Released this June, the partnership's latest research project, The Industrial Ecosystem’s Economic Contributions to Southern California, examines the critical role of industrial real estate in Southern California’s economy. Findings revealed that industrial real estate is a cornerstone of Southern California’s economic engine, leading to a downstream effect of stable employment, economic output, resilient supply-chain infrastructure, and regional competitiveness across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. 

Industrial-zoned land in the aforementioned counties function as part of an interconnected regional system, the study noted, which links a myriad of ports, transportation networks, manufacturing, distribution centers, retailers, and consumer markets. Findings further signal that decisions to replace, reduce, or convert industrial uses can cause great harm as a whole to regional economies, jobs, and the supply chain. 

Furthermore, the study found that industrial and flex properties support approximately 1.45 million jobs and contribute roughly $196 billion to regional GDP. Considering that land-use decisions made today will shape Southern California’s economic capacity for decades to come, Pepperdine and Beacon researchers point to these findings as a clear warning to policymakers that legislation reducing industrial land capacity threatens long-term economic growth.  

“The overall cost of converting industrial land rarely shows up in any single transaction or its taxes," said Christopher Thornberg, Beacon Economics founding partner. "It accrues to the regional economy as a whole, impacting supplier networks and labor pools that can't be reassembled once they're gone. The economy-wide value of industrial real estate goes far beyond what any parcel-level valuation ever captures.”

Beacon Economics is one of California’s leading independent economic research and consulting firms, providing analysis on economic trends, labor markets, housing, public finance, and regional development. This research paper is one of a three-part series led by Beacon Economics and Pepperdine SPP to examine critical policy issues affecting communities throughout the state.

In sum, the current industrial space report represents the latest milestone in the growing relationship between the Pepperdine SPP and Beacon Economics as both organizations continue to advance research that informs and promotes constructive public policy discussions across California.