Rethinking Local Regulations Governing Housing Production

Two recent trends are creating new opportunities—and new urgency—for empirical research on zoning. First, the past several years have seen a burst of zoning reform experimentation, as more cities and states adopt policies designed to allow higher-density housing by right in places where it was previously limited. Second, the high office vacancy rates resulting from the expansion of work-from-home among white-collar professionals have prompted property owners and policymakers to consider large-scale commercial conversions. We review three areas of zoning that are particularly relevant for current policy debates about relaxing land-use regulations: first, regulations related to housing density and form; second, the regulation of the use of properties, such as residential versus commercial building occupation; and third, policymaker discretion in zoning processes. We conclude by outlining a future research agenda to help planners and policymakers understand what types of regulations help or hinder achieving their goals.