Report: How States Can Incentivize Housing Production

With many cities and local jurisdictions using zoning codes to slow housing development, policymakers at the state level are taking action to increase the housing supply.

1 minute read

February 23, 2023, 5:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


A new research report from the Urban Institute, authored by Shazia Manji, Truman Braslaw, Chae Kim, Elizabeth Kneebone, Carolina Reid, and Yonah Freemark, outlines tools that states are using to incentivize housing production. 

Some experts argue state intervention is necessary to encourage housing production when local jurisdictions seek to block development through zoning and land use regulations. The research team collected the first database of state-level pro-housing laws and developed a typology for assessing how states are seeking to impact local housing production.

The report analyzes policies and mechanisms including housing production requirements, state standards for land use and planning regulations, and incentives and penalties for local jurisdictions. “Through this typology, and illustrated through a sample of laws from states across the country, we provide a roadmap to understanding how state intervention in local land-use laws can expand the supply of and improve access to housing.” 

See the source article for a link to the full downloadable report.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 in Urban Institute

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today