Cataloguing How States are Reforming Their Land Use Systems to Meet Housing Goals

• In Event: New Tools for Understanding the Effects of State Housing Reforms

Abstract

Housing affordability has become a critical policy priority for state lawmakers nationwide. Many metropolitan areas, as well as smaller localities, continue to have restrictive zoning and land use regulations that contribute to housing shortages and rising costs. In response, states are exploring various policy interventions, from setting housing production targets for local governments to preempting local land use regulations that limit density and stymie the diversity of housing types.

Despite the growing momentum behind these efforts, there is no comprehensive national resource tracking the details of state-level housing and land use policies. To address this gap, the NYU Furman Center is launching a publicly accessible national inventory of state land use and housing policies. The database will serve policymakers, researchers, the media, and practitioners by systematically categorizing the key mechanisms states are using and highlighting the different policy and strategic choices behind them. The tracker also will report on empirical research studying the effects the reforms have on housing outcomes, offering a valuable resource for policymakers and others trying to understand how to choose among, and improve upon, the different approaches.

Author

• Vicki L. Been, New York University
  Presenting Author