Urban Economics
Cities are dynamic centers of exchange, innovation, and economic growth, providing the platform where people, ideas, and capital come together. However, the regulations that limit urban development reduce the potential for income mobility and rising standards of living over time. Mercatus research shows how land-use policy reform can reverse the stagnation in our cities and address the systemic problem of housing affordability.
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Latest work in Urban Economics
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
An Autopsy of Hsieh & Moretti | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Conversations That Matter: How Markets Shape Cities | The Vancouver Sun
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Pedestrianized Streets Usually Fail – and That’s Ok | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Housing Reform in the States: A Menu of Options for 2024
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Four Elements of a Successful Housing Task Force: Lessons from the Montana Miracle
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Urban Minimum Lot Sizes: Their Background, Effects, and Avenues to Reform
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Gentrification: An LVT Would Do That | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Will Congestion Pricing Hurt Cities? | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Breaking Ground: An Examination of Effective State Housing Reforms in 2023
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Book Chapters Book Chapters
Order Without Design: How Markets Shape Cities
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Allowing More Housing Would Contribute To Housing Affordability In Massachusetts
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Rhode Island’s housing process package | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Bipartisan Hope for Affordable Housing Emerges in the West | Governing
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Innovative Approaches to Affordable Housing in Northwest Arkansas | "I am Northwest Arkansas"
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Home Price Trends Point to a Worsening Lack of Supply
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Affordable Housing | KTAR Radio (Arizona)
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How DC Densified | Works in Progress
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
‘Affordable’ Housing Only Makes Phoenix’s Affordability Crisis Worse | The Arizona Republic
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How a Decline in Home Sales Also Trips up Retail | Marketplace Radio
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Tell It to the Judge: New Lawsuits Take Exclusionary Zoning to Court | Market Urbanism
Latest work in Urban Economics
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
An Autopsy of Hsieh & Moretti | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Conversations That Matter: How Markets Shape Cities | The Vancouver Sun
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Pedestrianized Streets Usually Fail – and That’s Ok | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Housing Reform in the States: A Menu of Options for 2024
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Four Elements of a Successful Housing Task Force: Lessons from the Montana Miracle
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Urban Minimum Lot Sizes: Their Background, Effects, and Avenues to Reform
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Gentrification: An LVT Would Do That | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Will Congestion Pricing Hurt Cities? | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Breaking Ground: An Examination of Effective State Housing Reforms in 2023
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Book Chapters Book Chapters
Order Without Design: How Markets Shape Cities
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Allowing More Housing Would Contribute To Housing Affordability In Massachusetts
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Rhode Island’s housing process package | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Bipartisan Hope for Affordable Housing Emerges in the West | Governing
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Innovative Approaches to Affordable Housing in Northwest Arkansas | "I am Northwest Arkansas"
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Home Price Trends Point to a Worsening Lack of Supply
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Affordable Housing | KTAR Radio (Arizona)
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How DC Densified | Works in Progress
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
‘Affordable’ Housing Only Makes Phoenix’s Affordability Crisis Worse | The Arizona Republic
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How a Decline in Home Sales Also Trips up Retail | Marketplace Radio
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Tell It to the Judge: New Lawsuits Take Exclusionary Zoning to Court | Market Urbanism
Latest work in Urban Economics
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Housing Reform in the States: A Menu of Options for 2024
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Four Elements of a Successful Housing Task Force: Lessons from the Montana Miracle
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Urban Minimum Lot Sizes: Their Background, Effects, and Avenues to Reform
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Breaking Ground: An Examination of Effective State Housing Reforms in 2023
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Book Chapters Book Chapters
Order Without Design: How Markets Shape Cities
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Home Price Trends Point to a Worsening Lack of Supply
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Learning from Houston’s Townhouse Reforms
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
A Taxonomy of State Accessory Dwelling Unit Laws
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Legalizing Accessory Dwelling Units at the State Level: A New Hampshire Case Study
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Single-Family Zoning and Race: Evidence From the Twin Cities | Housing Policy Debate
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Mostly Invisible: The Cost of Valid Petitions in Texas
Legislators Ought to either Reform the Valid Petition Process To Be Less Onerous and More Democratic or Do Away With It Altogether
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Reassessing the Role of Supply and Demand on Housing Bubble Prices
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Working Papers Working Papers
Understanding Tokyo's Land Use: The Power of Microspaces
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Working Papers Working Papers
The Impact of Land Use Regulation on Racial Segregation: Evidence from Massachusetts Zoning Borders
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Working Papers Working Papers
Single-Family Zoning and Race: Evidence from the Twin Cities
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
New Research Shows How Zoning Slows Racial Integration
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Build-to-Rent Housing Bans: A Case of Zoning Overreach
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Rising Home Prices Are Mostly from Rising Rents
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How One City Embraced Zoning Reform for Economic Growth and Community Preservation
Latest work in Urban Economics
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Conversations That Matter: How Markets Shape Cities | The Vancouver Sun
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Innovative Approaches to Affordable Housing in Northwest Arkansas | "I am Northwest Arkansas"
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Affordable Housing | KTAR Radio (Arizona)
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How a Decline in Home Sales Also Trips up Retail | Marketplace Radio
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Ideas of India: Order Without Design
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Hawaii’s Housing Shortage Explained | ThinkTech Hawaii
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Order Without Design / Rethinking the Role of Government in City Development | CID Harvard
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Housing Reform in Montana | KBUL-AM’s “Montana Talks”
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Inclusionary Zoning and Its Exclusionary Effects | Urbanize Los Angeles’ "Cityspeak"
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
The Arbitrary Lines of Zoning | Streetblog's "Talking Headways"
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Getting to Better Policy When it Comes to Housing Density and Zoning | KSL-AM’s “Inside Sources with Boyd Matheson” (Utah)
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Developers Press on with Apartment Building as Would-Be Homeowners Rent Instead | Marketplace Radio
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Inclusionary Zoning with Emily Hamilton | UCLA's "Housing Voice"
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Zoning Out Growth | City Journal's "10 Blocks"
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Arbitrary Lines, The Case Against Zoning with Nolan Gray, UCLA Lewis Center | Gov Love
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Land Use Regulation and the Growing Cost of Housing | Working Capital: The Real Estate Podcast
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Biden Administration Creates Plan to Increase Affordable Housing | Marketplace Radio
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Emily Hamilton on Political Economy with James Pethokoukis - Fixing America’s Housing Problem
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Emily Hamilton on WHYY - Special Zoning Districts
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Emily Hamilton on C-SPAN - Housing Policy Under Biden (Part 1)
Latest work in Urban Economics
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Allowing More Housing Would Contribute To Housing Affordability In Massachusetts
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Options for Pennsylvania to Ease Barriers to Housing Construction
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Allowing Accessory Dwelling Units Would Contribute to Housing Affordability in North Carolina
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Valid Petitions and Limited Government in Texas
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
State Policymakers' Role in Protecting the Right to Build Housing in Colorado
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Allowing Accessory Dwelling Units Would Contribute to Housing Affordability in Texas
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
State Policymakers’ Role in Protecting the Right to Build Housing in Texas
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
The Benefits of Transit-Oriented Zoning Reform
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Rights, Responsibilities, and Preemption in Minnesota
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
State Policymakers' Role in Protecting the Right to Build Housing in Montana
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Light-Touch Density and New Hampshire’s Role in Zoning
New Hampshire House of Representatives, Municipal and County Government Committee
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Improving Opportunities for Multifamily Housing in Virginia
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Regulations Are the Main Cause of Inadequate Housing Supply and Rising Rents in Texas
Texas Senate Committee on Local Government
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
State Policymakers' Role in Protecting the Right to Build Workforce Housing in Texas
Texas House of Representatives Committee on Urban Affairs
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
State Policymakers' Role in Protecting Short-Term Rental Rights in Ohio
Ohio House State and Local Government Committee
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Property Rights Can Protect Attainable Housing in Texas
Texas House of Representatives | Land and Resource Management Committee
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Inclusionary Zoning and Housing Market Outcomes
Testimony before the Cincinnati City Council Equitable Growth and Housing Committee
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Protecting Property Owners and Housing Affordability in Tennessee
Tennessee Senate Committee on Judiciary
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Rights, Responsibilities, and Preemption in Minnesota
Minnesota Senate Committee on Local Government Policy
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Implementing Massachusetts's Ambitious Zoning Law
Latest work in Urban Economics
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
An Autopsy of Hsieh & Moretti | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Pedestrianized Streets Usually Fail – and That’s Ok | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Gentrification: An LVT Would Do That | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Will Congestion Pricing Hurt Cities? | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Rhode Island’s housing process package | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Bipartisan Hope for Affordable Housing Emerges in the West | Governing
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How DC Densified | Works in Progress
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
‘Affordable’ Housing Only Makes Phoenix’s Affordability Crisis Worse | The Arizona Republic
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Tell It to the Judge: New Lawsuits Take Exclusionary Zoning to Court | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
What’s Scott Alexander Asking, Anyway? | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Zoning Policies Intended To Support Agricultural Abundance Are Failing | Farming Abundance
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How ‘Granny Flats’ Can Help Preserve Texas’ Middle Class | The Dallas Morning News
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Arizona Housing Affordability Reform Is About To Have Its Moment | Arizona Capitol Times
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Cataloguing California’s Cornucopia of Land Use Legislation | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Role of ADUs in Easing America's Housing Crisis | Governing
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Other Cities Show Housing Abundance Is Key to Affordability | Banker & Tradesman
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Rent Regulation in MoCo | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
To Aid Renters, Ease Up on Investors, Landlords | Star Tribune (MN)
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Book Review: HIAHP | Market Urbanism
- | Urban Economics Urban Economics
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary