Blog

A new working paper analyzes an oft-forgotten aspect of land-use policy: The impact on affordability of minimum lot sizes, which cities use to set the smallest allowable square footage for individual parcels of land. This seemingly minor detail can have…

We all know the rent is too damn high. In California, we’ve grown accustomed to housing shortages, crushing rents, endless commutes, escalating homelessness, destruction of agricultural lands, and the worst air pollution in the United States. But it doesn’t have…

While one should avoid their labor becoming further empirical proof of Brandolini’s Law, a report by The Embarcadero Institute on the state’s housing shortage can hopefully prove instructive as to why one should be wary of organizations offering simplistic assessments…

A new report from Transportation for America (T4A) and Smart Growth America presents a compelling case for changing our land-use policies, including our housing policies, to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and build a more sustainable future. The core…

A new working paper from UC Berkeley Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics PhD candidate Kate Pennington offers compelling evidence that new market-rate housing in San Francisco reduced rents for existing residents while providing more amenities in the neighborhood. The…

Suppose you wanted to buy an apartment in downtown Los Angeles. If you’re on a tight budget, you could focus on small studios, such as this 460 square-foot unit at 7th and Broadway, listed for $360,000. But why not think…

How do we build a more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive Bay Area? The Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPHANC) has some ideas outlined in a new paper, The Road Ahead: A 21st Century Housing Strategy for the San Francisco…

Are ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft improving transportation in our cities? A new study by Marquet (2020) conducted in Chicago suggests that in many cases they compete with or displace trips taken on public transit, making traffic worse and…

Read the full article here >>> By blocking the construction of new housing in wealthy areas and preventing affordable housing options in white communities, single-family zoning laws make it disproportionately harder for people of color to own, or even rent…