Housing
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 Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Considerations for State "Fair Share" Housing Frameworks
Reorienting the planning process so that outcomes take center stage
- | Housing Housing
- | Amicus Briefs Amicus Briefs
Adams v. City of Seattle
Brief of Amici Curiae in support of appellant Anita Adams
- | 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
Reforming US Building Codes
The International Code Council needs to compare the costs and benefits of its recommended requirements.
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Fixing Sick Cities | EconLib’s “EconTalk”
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Neutralizing the Objector Lawsuit | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Does Your City Do Its Part To Measure Housing Production? | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Declaration of Emily Hamilton in Support of Shelter WF, Inc., Montana Eighteenth Judicial District Court, Gallatin County
How exclusionary zoning limits housing construction, and how new housing construction improves housing affordability
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Permitting Fixes For More Housing | I Hate Politics Podcast
- | Housing Housing
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
The Effects of Minimum-Lot-Size Reform on Houston Land Values
- | 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
How U.S. Cities Can ‘Upzone’ Without Compromising Affordability
Critics of liberalizing housing construction are concerned that looser zoning rules could make existing houses more expensive. Fortunately, this worry is somewhat overblown.
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Florida
How to deliver land use reform in the state—three key policy recommendations
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Seattle Special: A US City’s Unique Approach to Small Infill Lots
How building-code reform can support more housing types and create denser, more walkable communities
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Housing Filters (Dorm/Shelter Edition) | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
State Policymakers’ Role in Protecting the Right to Build Housing in Kansas
Kansas State Legislature, 2024 Special Committee on Available and Affordable Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Arlington Missing Middle Lawsuit Decision | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Agenda: Dynamic Congestion Pricing for Autonomous Vehicles | Market Urbanism
Latest work in Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Considerations for State "Fair Share" Housing Frameworks
Reorienting the planning process so that outcomes take center stage
- | Housing Housing
- | Amicus Briefs Amicus Briefs
Adams v. City of Seattle
Brief of Amici Curiae in support of appellant Anita Adams
- | 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
Reforming US Building Codes
The International Code Council needs to compare the costs and benefits of its recommended requirements.
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Fixing Sick Cities | EconLib’s “EconTalk”
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Neutralizing the Objector Lawsuit | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Does Your City Do Its Part To Measure Housing Production? | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Declaration of Emily Hamilton in Support of Shelter WF, Inc., Montana Eighteenth Judicial District Court, Gallatin County
How exclusionary zoning limits housing construction, and how new housing construction improves housing affordability
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Permitting Fixes For More Housing | I Hate Politics Podcast
- | Housing Housing
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
The Effects of Minimum-Lot-Size Reform on Houston Land Values
- | 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
How U.S. Cities Can ‘Upzone’ Without Compromising Affordability
Critics of liberalizing housing construction are concerned that looser zoning rules could make existing houses more expensive. Fortunately, this worry is somewhat overblown.
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Florida
How to deliver land use reform in the state—three key policy recommendations
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Seattle Special: A US City’s Unique Approach to Small Infill Lots
How building-code reform can support more housing types and create denser, more walkable communities
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Housing Filters (Dorm/Shelter Edition) | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
State Policymakers’ Role in Protecting the Right to Build Housing in Kansas
Kansas State Legislature, 2024 Special Committee on Available and Affordable Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Arlington Missing Middle Lawsuit Decision | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Agenda: Dynamic Congestion Pricing for Autonomous Vehicles | Market Urbanism
Latest work in Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Considerations for State "Fair Share" Housing Frameworks
Reorienting the planning process so that outcomes take center stage
- | Housing Housing
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
The Effects of Minimum-Lot-Size Reform on Houston Land Values
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Florida
How to deliver land use reform in the state—three key policy recommendations
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Seattle Special: A US City’s Unique Approach to Small Infill Lots
How building-code reform can support more housing types and create denser, more walkable communities
- | 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
How to Streamline Housing Permitting in Tennessee
The decision-making process should be based on a reasonable evidentiary basis, not political pressure on local boards and commissions
- | 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
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Tennessee’s HPR Law and Its Transformation of Nashville’s Housing Market: A Model for Other States
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
How Reno’s Minimum-Lot-Size Regulations Are Blocking Affordable Homeownership for Nevadans
Lawmakers can promote affordability and choice in housing options by capping minimum lot sizes, limiting street frontage requirements, or both.
- | Housing Housing
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
A Taxonomy of State Accessory Dwelling Unit Laws 2024
- | 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
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Less but Better Zoning
- | 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 Connecticut
Latest work in Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Fixing Sick Cities | EconLib’s “EconTalk”
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Permitting Fixes For More Housing | I Hate Politics Podcast
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Planning Law and Housing Affordability in Lexington | News Talk 590 WVLK AM
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Here Are Five Fixes for the US Housing Shortage | Marketplace Radio
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Should the Government Give First-time Homebuyers $25,000? | WBUR Boston
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Tackling America’s Housing Crisis | Top of Mind
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Most Northern Virginia Land Is Reserved for Single-family-detached Homes, Research Finds | WAMU Radio
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Bringing Economics Into People-centric Urban Planning | The Urban Q
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Shifts in the Housing Market & the YIMBY Movement | Manhattan Institute’s “Manhattan Insights”
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
How Property Law Shapes Community | Yeoman
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Zoning: Segregation of Our Public Space | Urban Homeworks’ Reclaiming Home
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
After Milton Referendum, Housing Advocates Sift Through Optimism and Pessimism | WBUR
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Urban Planning and Cities | The Great Antidote
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Are Tiny Homes Possible Solution in the Affordable Housing Crisis? | WOSU
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Conversations That Matter: How Markets Shape Cities | The Vancouver Sun
- | Housing Housing
- | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
Innovative Approaches to Affordable Housing in Northwest Arkansas | "I am Northwest Arkansas"
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Affordable Housing | KTAR Radio (Arizona)
- | Housing Housing
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How a Decline in Home Sales Also Trips up Retail | Marketplace Radio
Latest work in Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Declaration of Emily Hamilton in Support of Shelter WF, Inc., Montana Eighteenth Judicial District Court, Gallatin County
How exclusionary zoning limits housing construction, and how new housing construction improves housing affordability
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
State Policymakers’ Role in Protecting the Right to Build Housing in Kansas
Kansas State Legislature, 2024 Special Committee on Available and Affordable Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Market-Driven Parking Supply Can Help Colorado Families
Colorado Senate, Local Government and Housing Committee, HB24-1304 Minimum Parking Requirements
- | 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
Accessory Dwelling Units Can Help Unlock Housing Affordability in Colorado
Colorado Senate, Local Government and Housing Committee, HB24-1152 Accessory Dwelling Units
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Colorado Can Improve Housing Affordability by Requiring a Health and Safety Basis for Occupancy Limits
Colorado Senate Local Government and Housing Committee | House Bill 24-1007, The HOME (Harmonizing Occupancy Measures Equitably) Act
- | 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
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Accessory Dwelling Units Can Help Unlock Housing Affordability in Colorado
Colorado House Transportation, Housing, and Local Government Committee, HB24-1152, Accessory Dwelling Units
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Legalizing ADUs and Duplexes Can Help Unlock Housing Affordability in New Hampshire
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Duplex Reform Would Assist Housing Affordability in Nebraska
Nebraska Urban Affairs Committee | LB 1165, Provide requirements for zoning regulations and duplex housing
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
ADU Reform Would Assist Housing Affordability in Nebraska
Nebraska Urban Affairs Committee | LB 1166, Provide requirements for zoning regulations and accessory dwelling units
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Lifting Onerous Occupancy Requirements Can Help Unlock Housing Affordability
New Hampshire House Municipal and County Government Committee House Bill 1281, Relative to zoning restrictions on residential rental property
- | Housing Housing
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Housing Affordability: Trends, Shocks, and State Legislation
- | Housing Housing
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Hamilton Response to Questions for the Record
- | Housing Housing
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Improving Housing Affordability by Reducing Barriers to Housing Construction
Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance of the US House Committee on Financial Services | Housing Affordability: Governmental Barriers and Market-Based Solutions
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Minimum Lot Size Regulations Are a Barrier to Homeownership in Dallas
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Setting Minimum Zoning Requirements for Multifamily Housing
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Allowing More Housing Would Contribute To Housing Affordability In Massachusetts
- | Housing Housing
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Options for Pennsylvania to Ease Barriers to Housing Construction
Latest work in Housing
- | 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
Reforming US Building Codes
The International Code Council needs to compare the costs and benefits of its recommended requirements.
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Neutralizing the Objector Lawsuit | Market Urbanism
- | 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
How U.S. Cities Can ‘Upzone’ Without Compromising Affordability
Critics of liberalizing housing construction are concerned that looser zoning rules could make existing houses more expensive. Fortunately, this worry is somewhat overblown.
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Housing Filters (Dorm/Shelter Edition) | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Arlington Missing Middle Lawsuit Decision | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Agenda: Dynamic Congestion Pricing for Autonomous Vehicles | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A Case for Urban Renewal | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
More Housing, Less Participatory Democracy | Discourse
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Hot Takes and Pensées, #UEA2024 | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Book Review: (de)Coding Mumbai | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Congestion Pricing: Traffic Solver or Sin Tax? | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Stone: Diversity Didn’t Cause the Baby Bust | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Harris’ Housing Target: Compared to What? | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Much Does Delay Cost? | Market Urbanism
- | Housing Housing
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary