Salim Furth
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Senior Research Fellow
Salim Furth is a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Urbanity project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. His research focuses on housing production and land use regulation. He frequently advises local governments and testifies before state and federal legislatures. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Rochester.
Furth previously worked at the Heritage Foundation, at Amherst College, and as a contractor to HUD. His research has been published in Housing Policy Debate, Critical Housing Analysis, and the IZA Journal of Labor Policy. He serves as an advisor to the board of Texans for Reasonable Solutions and a Better Cities Project Fellow.
Featured Research
"Why Housing Shortages Cause Homelessness"
"Housing Reform in the States: A Menu of Options for 2024" (Emily Hamilton, Salim Furth & Charles Gardner)
Latest Work
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Deep Research: Supermajority Laws Around the States | Market Urbanism
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Serious Flaws Mean Healey’s Housing Plan Vastly Underestimates Our Needs | Banker & Tradesman
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Massachusetts Can Streamline Homebuilding | The Boston Globe
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Massachusetts
- | Housing Housing
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
The Redevelopment of RFK Stadium in DC | Fox 5 DC
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Here’s How the Trump Administration Can Curb Housing Costs | Los Angeles Times
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
New NC Law Protects Property Rights by Limiting Local ‘Down-zoning’ | Carolina Journal
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Does Your City Do Its Part To Measure Housing Production? | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Permitting Fixes For More Housing | I Hate Politics Podcast
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Why housing shortages cause homelessness
Why do high-cost cities have more homelessness? It’s not just about rents — it’s also about the rooms friends and family can’t afford to share.
Latest Work
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Deep Research: Supermajority Laws Around the States | Market Urbanism
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Serious Flaws Mean Healey’s Housing Plan Vastly Underestimates Our Needs | Banker & Tradesman
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Massachusetts Can Streamline Homebuilding | The Boston Globe
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Massachusetts
- | Housing Housing
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
The Redevelopment of RFK Stadium in DC | Fox 5 DC
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Here’s How the Trump Administration Can Curb Housing Costs | Los Angeles Times
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
New NC Law Protects Property Rights by Limiting Local ‘Down-zoning’ | Carolina Journal
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Does Your City Do Its Part To Measure Housing Production? | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Permitting Fixes For More Housing | I Hate Politics Podcast
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Why housing shortages cause homelessness
Why do high-cost cities have more homelessness? It’s not just about rents — it’s also about the rooms friends and family can’t afford to share.
Latest Work
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Massachusetts
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Maryland
10 policy recommendations to accelerate project timelines and reduce costs
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Boosting Housing Affordability: Practical Suggestions for Congress and the White House
How executive actions and new laws in Washington can help reform efforts in the states.
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Housing Reform in the States: A Menu of Options for 2025
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Laying Foundations: Momentum Continues for Housing Supply Reforms in 2024
Housing remains a top issue in state legislatures, with 20 states enacting housing supply bills in the last year.
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Expanding Maryland’s Housing Stock: A Roadmap to Meeting Housing Targets
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Virginia
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Housing Reform in the States: A Menu of Options for 2024
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Breaking Ground: An Examination of Effective State Housing Reforms in 2023
Latest Work
- | Housing Housing
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
The Redevelopment of RFK Stadium in DC | Fox 5 DC
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Permitting Fixes For More Housing | I Hate Politics Podcast
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Here Are Five Fixes for the US Housing Shortage | Marketplace Radio
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Tackling America’s Housing Crisis | Top of Mind
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Shifts in the Housing Market & the YIMBY Movement | Manhattan Institute’s “Manhattan Insights”
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
After Milton Referendum, Housing Advocates Sift Through Optimism and Pessimism | WBUR
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Are Tiny Homes Possible Solution in the Affordable Housing Crisis? | WOSU
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
How Can We Get It? And Who Does It Help? | Young Voices
Latest Work
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Transit-Oriented Upzoning in Colorado Can Deliver Jobs, Growth, and Affordability
Colorado Senate, Local Government and Housing Committee, HB 24-1313 Housing in Transit-Oriented Communities
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Transit-Oriented Upzoning in Colorado Can Deliver Jobs, Growth, and Affordability
Colorado House of Representatives, Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee | HB 24-1313 Housing in Transit-Oriented Communities
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Market-Rate Rents Can Serve Moderate-Income Marylanders
Maryland Senate Education, Business, and Administration Subcommittee SB 484, Land Use - Affordable Housing - Zoning Density and Permitting
- | Housing Housing
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Housing Affordability: Trends, Shocks, and State Legislation
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Minimum Lot Size Regulations Are a Barrier to Homeownership in Dallas
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Valid Petitions and Limited Government in Texas
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Rights, Responsibilities, and Preemption in Minnesota
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Light-Touch Density and New Hampshire’s Role in Zoning
New Hampshire House of Representatives, Municipal and County Government Committee
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Property Rights Can Protect Attainable Housing in Texas
Texas House of Representatives | Land and Resource Management Committee
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Rights, Responsibilities, and Preemption in Minnesota
Minnesota Senate Committee on Local Government Policy
Latest Work
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Deep Research: Supermajority Laws Around the States | Market Urbanism
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Serious Flaws Mean Healey’s Housing Plan Vastly Underestimates Our Needs | Banker & Tradesman
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Massachusetts Can Streamline Homebuilding | The Boston Globe
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Here’s How the Trump Administration Can Curb Housing Costs | Los Angeles Times
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
New NC Law Protects Property Rights by Limiting Local ‘Down-zoning’ | Carolina Journal
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Does Your City Do Its Part To Measure Housing Production? | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Why housing shortages cause homelessness
Why do high-cost cities have more homelessness? It’s not just about rents — it’s also about the rooms friends and family can’t afford to share.
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Housing Filters (Dorm/Shelter Edition) | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary