The Housing Supply Debate: Evaluating the Evidence
Let's rely on science, not ideology and propaganda, when planning solutions to urban unaffordability. Look for credible evidence in the peer-reviewed publications referenced here.
Todd Litman | May 13, 2021, 9am PDT Share
Few issues cause more blood to boil than debates about the causes and solutions to housing unaffordability. On this issue, many people lead with their opinions followed by whatever evidence they can muster. The results can get ugly, particularly for those of us who prefer information to be credible.
In response, Mr. Abel sent links to
In my view, these articles present a narrow perspective and lack critical analysis, thus raising an epistemological question: How should we evaluate research quality in the field of planning and urban development?
Epics / Getty / The Atlantic
From California to the Northeast, a funny thing has happened recently in America’s most expensive metropolitan areas: Rents have gone down. Ever since remote workers began fleeing urban cores at the start of the coronavirus pandemic—whether to the Hamptons or their parents’ basements—urban housing markets have been flooded with empty apartments. As a result, the prices that rental units command in certain large cities have dropped dramatically, to the tune of 18 percent in Boston, 19 percent in Seattle, and nearly 25 percent in San Francisco, according to a November survey by the firm Apartment List.