News and Commentary
This article makes the case that affluent single-family neighborhoods are the true culprits of gentrification. By blocking adequate construction in their backyard, they end up pushing growing populations into other neighborhoods less equipped to deal with that change.
AEI has produced a detailed map showing measures of housing affordability, construction, supply across the country.
Kevin Erdman of The Mercatus Center disentangles some common confusions on the economics of homeownership. All things considered, homeownership becomes a more attractive option financially once considering the risks of rent increases.
Salim Furth of The Mercatus Center uses US Postal service data to measure growth and shrinkage in Vermont’s housing supply.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is pushing a bill that would allow municipalities to amend their zoning codes with a simple majority vote instead of a two-thirds majority vote.
New Research
This article surveys the zoning laws across California. Unsurprisingly, the more burdensome municipalities tend to experience more expensive housing. Interestingly, the researchers then track community opposition to changing those zoning laws with surveys. The areas with the most political opposition to reform tend to be whiter and wealthier than the average. These results go to show that the biggest barrier to liberalization comes from suburbanites and yuppies fearing change rather than urbanites fearing gentrification.
A new paper from the NBER reviews the best evidence on what governments can do to combat homelessness. While zoning reform is not sufficient to solve the problem, they do find a clear correlation between restrictions and people out on the streets.
The Urban Institute diagnoses the scope of Washington DC’s housing shortage. They predict that the metro area needs to build 374,000 new units by 2030.
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