Impact fees are linked to rising home costs in University of Chicago study.
Impact fees are one-time fees imposed by municipalities upon builders when houses are first built. Proponents of impact fees claim that they compensate for marginal costs, and that the fees are absorbed by developers. The first part of this paper discusses several of the legal challenges to impact fees and their implementation in the Chicago suburbs. Next, the paper proposes a simplified economic model of a segmented housing market. Primary impact fee data from eight suburban Chicago municipalities are analyzed with multiple listing service data for sales of single family houses between 1995 and 1997. Impact fees were a statistically significant component of housing prices. The paper concludes with a discussion of the fee incidence and equity issues.
Thanks to Chris Steins
FULL STORY: Impact Fees Linked to Rising Home Costs

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions