A study published by a German researcher adds ammunition to the cause of improving housing affordability by legalizing and building new supply.

Joe Cortright shares news of new research that ties the amount of new rental housing to the cost of rent—the "tortured" supply and demand debate that defines housing policy in expensive areas of the United States.
"In our view, its [sic] been a growing demand for cities and urban living, running headlong into a relatively fixed, or at best slowly growing supply of urban housing that’s been the principle reason for affordability problems in many cities," writes Cortright. "But many housing advocates refuse to believe that increasing housing supply will have any beneficial effect on rents."
Andreas Mense, an economist at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, recently published a paper that agrees with Cortright's opinion on the matter. The paper finds that new supply has an effect throughout the market—not just at the top. According to Cortright, the findings of this paper add to a growing body of research showing that "new market rate construction triggers a chain-reaction of moves and price adjustments that rapidly propagate through an entire housing market and ultimately benefit low income households."
Notably, the paper also gives quantitative estimates of how much additional housing a city might need to build to stave off rent increases. In Munich, that number is a 20 percent increase over development totals from the last seven years, but the article cites a graph that charts the supply needed in a large number of German cities as well.
FULL STORY: Building more housing lowers rents for everyone

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service