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Richard Rybeck

Richard Rybeck

Just Economics LLC harmonizes economic incentives with public policy objectives.
  • Municipal Law, Gov & Administrative Law, Tax Law
  • District of Columbia, Maryland
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Biography

Rybeck, an attorney with a master's degree in real estate and urban development, is the founder and director of Just Economics, LLC. Since 2010, Just Economics assists communities in restructuring taxes, fees and regulations so that the economic incentives embedded in them are more conducive for job creation, affordable housing, transportation efficiency and sustainable economic development (transit-oriented development & smart growth). Among others, Just Economics has performed work for the Brookings Institution, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Montgomery Housing Partnership, the Transportation Research Board, and the US Department of Transportation.

In addition to serving clients, Rybeck has written articles about affordable housing, infrastructure funding and sustainable development while also making presentations on these issues for various conferences.

Prior to founding Just Economics, Rybeck was the Deputy Associate Director for Transportation Policy and Planning at the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) from 1997 until 2009. Among other accomplishments, Rybeck helped facilitate car sharing, performance-based parking meter pricing, and landowner funding for a new Metrorail station.

From 1987 until 1996, Rybeck was a legislative assistant to the Honorable Hilda Mason at the Council of the District of Columbia. His primary role was to assist Councilmember Mason with her duties as a member of the board of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Practice Areas
Municipal Law
Gov & Administrative Law
Government Finance, Legislative & Government Affairs
Tax Law
Property Taxes
Additional Practice Area
  • Infrastructure Funding
Fees
  • Free Consultation
    Discussions about whether I can assist your community and establishing a scope of work are free. There is no fee or obligation until we sign a contract. I can work on an hourly basis or for a flat fee, depending on the nature of the work and the deliverables.
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    My work is primarily providing public policy advice along with legislative and regulatory drafting to communities, associations, and advocacy organizations.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
District of Columbia
District of Columbia Bar
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Maryland
Maryland Court of Appeals
ID Number: 8812160221
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Education
George Washington University - Mount Vernon campus
Certified Public Manager (CPM) (1998) | Strategic Planning, Budgeting, Project Management
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Honors: Selected for the inaugural cohort of students at the Center for Excellence in Municipal Management at George Washington University.
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American University
M.S. | Real Estate and Urban Development
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Honors: Urban Land Institute Scholarship for Property Tax Study, 1986 Graduate Honors Scholarship, Kogod School of Business, American University 1985
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American University Washington College of Law
J.D. (1987)
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Haverford College in Pennsylvania
B.A. (1979) | Sociology and Economics
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Honors: Named Magill-Rhoads Scholar (competitive selection) Haverford College, 1974
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Professional Associations
American Bar Association
Member
- Current
Activities: Forum on Affordable Housing
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District of Columbia Bar
Member
- Current
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Maryland Bar Association
Member
- Current
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Publications
Articles & Publications
Gentrification and Blight: Relationship to Involuntary Displacement
American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Vol. 79, No. 2, p. 541
Avoiding Mis-Givings: Recycling Community-Created Land Values for Affordability, Sustainability and Equity
Journal of Affordable Housing & Community Development Law
Guidebook to Funding Transportation Through Land Value Return and Recycling
Transportation Research Board
Financing Infrastructure with Value Capture: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Strong Towns
Want Affordable Housing? Look to the Land!
Habitat for Humanity
Funding Infrastructure to Rebuild Equitable Green Prosperity
Revitalization News
Using Value Capture to Finance Infrastructure and Encourage Compact Development
Public Works Management & Policy Journal
Speaking Engagements
Funding Transportation for Equity, Sustainability & Prosperity, Strong Towns Podcast #164
Charles Marohn, Director of Strong Towns, interviews Rick Rybeck, Director of Just Economics, about how different funding mechanisms lead to different results for transportation, affordable housing, economic development and the environment. http://shoutengine.com/StrongTownsPodcast/show-rick-rybeck-on-value-capture-3080
Revitalizing Markets and Achieving Smart Growth, Southern New England American Planning Association Conference :, Hartford, CT
American Planning Association
Using property tax reform to promote more compact, sustainable and affordable development.
Value Capture's Potential to Fund Transit, Transit: Critical Issues Symposium, Tallahassee, FL
DeVoe Moore Center, Florida State Univeristy
Value capture is an often-overlooked source of revenue for transit. Evidence from around the world regarding the extent to which value capture can help make transit financially self-sustaining.
Integrating Transportation & Land Use for Sustainability & Equity, World Bank Brown Bag Lunch Series, Washington, DC
World Bank
Overcoming the Disconnect between Transportation and Land Use to Promote Job Creation, Affordable Housing and Environmental Sustainability.
Exploring Funding Through Real Estate Development, Metrorail 2010, London, UK
World Metrorail Conference
Transit, if well designed and well executed, enhances land values near stations. Instead of allowing this publicly-created value to end up as a windfall for landowners, returning these values to the transit agencies that created them can help make transit financially self-sustaining.
Websites & Blogs
Website
Website
Contact & Map
Just Economics LLC
1669 Columbia Rd., NW, Suite 116
Washington, DC 20009
Cell: (202) 439-4176
Monday: 9 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 9 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 9 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday: 9 AM - 5:30 PM (Today)
Friday: 9 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed