At the end of each month, the AGS team looks back at articles and blog posts that we saw this month that stood out to us. Some are from news agencies, and many come from our partners, but not all use our data. Here is the round-up from December 2025.
ICSC
New legislation is stepping up enforcement against organized retail crime (ORC), with 15 states enacting 19 bills in 2025 that strengthen penalties, extend theft aggregation windows, and fund task forces to combat sophisticated retail theft rings. These updates signal heightened public-policy focus on protecting retailers and commercial property owners from escalating organized theft activity.
Fifteen States Pass New Laws to Curb Organized Retail Crime in 2025 | ICSC
Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau’s “Facts for Features” release highlights key statistics from the 2025 winter holiday season, including estimated retail sales figures, consumer spending trends, and trade data. These seasonal data points offer timely insights into consumer behavior and economic activity that can inform retail strategy and market planning ahead of the new year.
The 2025 Winter Holiday Season
SiteSeer
SiteSeer’s analysis emphasizes the importance of using data-driven forecasting and market insight to navigate uncertainty in retail site selection and growth strategy. By understanding customer behavior shifts, evaluating existing store performance, and revisiting sales forecasts, retailers can make more informed decisions that position them for stable, long-term success.
Forecasting for Today’s Retail: Turning Uncertainty into Smart Growth – SiteSeer
Fortune
This Fortune article debunks persistent myths about rural America, challenging assumptions on population trends, economic realities, health outcomes, and demographic diversity. For CRE professionals, these insights can broaden understanding of rural markets and highlight opportunities often overlooked in investment and development planning.
Government Accountability Office
A newly released Government Accountability Office report outlines efforts by the Census Bureau to modernize and consolidate its data collection systems. The initiative aims to replace legacy IT systems with a unified enterprise platform that supports over 100 surveys, improving data accuracy, efficiency, and future readiness — a key development for anyone relying on federal demographic and economic data.
GAOverview: Census Bureau Undertakes Data Collection Modernization | U.S. GAO
The Guardian
Zillow has discontinued its on-platform climate risk scores after pushback from real estate agents and homeowners who argued the feature hindered sales and relied on imperfect models. The decision has stirred debate around transparency in climate risk disclosure and what that means for homebuyers, insurers, and CRE stakeholders navigating property risk in a changing climate.