Economists see America's recovering housing market as a positive indication of the country's economic health. But according to a new study, rising home prices "decrease income mobility and ultimately hurt the U.S. economy," reports Nicole Goodkind.
The study, authored by Daniel Shoag, associate professor of Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School, and colleague Peter Gangong, concludes that the high cost of housing in cities like New York and San Francisco are forcing low-skilled workers to migrate to cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix, increasing income inequality and slowing economic growth.
What is to blame for the stagnant rate of income convergence? "An increase in land regulation in high-wage
states and cities discourage development that would lower housing
prices," says Shoag.
"It's
surprising that local regulations can have such a big macroeconomic
impact...that they can affect this process of income migration and
conversion, which are long-standing macroeconomic relationships," he
notes.
"Policies,
however, can be reversed: Shoag has already been contacted by lawmakers
in Washington in hopes of figuring out how to encourage new, affordable
developments in high-wage places," adds Goodkind.
FULL STORY: Home Prices Push Low-Wage Workers Out of Cities

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.

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

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?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie