David J. Erickson is head of Outreach and Education at the New York Fed where he leads the community development and economic education teams. His areas of research include community development finance, affordable housing, economic development, and institutional changes that benefit low-income communities. David has been a leader in the collaboration between the Federal Reserve and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in bringing the health sector together with community development. To date, this collaboration has resulted in 52 conferences and numerous publications. Erickson’s book on the history of community development, The Housing Policy Revolution: Networks and Neighborhoods (2009), was published by the Urban Institute Press. He also co-edited Investing in What Works for America’s Communities (2012); What Counts: Harnessing Data for America’s Communities (2014); What It’s Worth: Strengthening the Financial Futures of Families, Communities, and the Nation (2015); and What Matters: Investing in Results to Build Strong, Vibrant Communities (2017). His latest book, The Fifth Freedom: Guaranteeing an Opportunity-Rich Childhood for All (2023), has been published by the Brookings Institution Press.
David has a Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Berkeley, and an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College.