Study: Renters, Women, Minorities Underrepresented in Land Use Decisions

The membership of decisionmaking bodies such as planning commissions rarely reflects the socioeconomic, gender, and racial characteristics of the local community.

2 minute read

April 13, 2023, 7:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


View from back of three men in suits sitting in a large room with leather chairs facing dais

Salivanchuk Semen / Government meeting

Who is represented in planning decisions? “Land-use laws influence home prices, class and racial segregation, carbon emissions levels, and labor market efficiency,” making this a key question, write Lydia Lo, Eleanor Noble, Yonah Freemark in a new study for the Urban Institute.

The study analyzed “the racial and gender characteristics, housing tenures, and occupations of land-use decisionmaking board members across 482 jurisdictions and 601 land-use decisionmaking bodies within the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States.”

The study found that, by and large, “the people who draft, adjudicate, and implement land-use laws rarely share similar demographics, occupations, or housing tenures as their jurisdiction’s residents.”

The article details the data on representation, noting that “Forty-five percent of land-use boards have a membership that is at least 95 percent white, even though only 5 percent of jurisdictions have such high white population shares.” Additionally, men are overrepresented by more than 20 percentage points, while renters are underrepresented in 99 percent of jurisdictions. Planning and zoning board members also tend to come from planning- or real estate-related professions. “Meanwhile, there are few board members hailing from the food, health care, and retail sectors, and retirees, homemakers, and unemployed people are similarly underrepresented.”

According to the authors, these differences matter because “These results may offer one explanation for why US cities have suffered from decades of inadequate housing construction, low levels of housing affordability, and high levels of segregation.” The authors note that boards that offer supports like child care, compensation, or flexible meeting times are more likely to more accurately represent the local community, and recommend state-level requirements for such accommodations to encourage more representative membership in land use decisionmaking bodies.

Wednesday, April 12, 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