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Urban renewal after the Berlin Wall: a place-based policy evaluation

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  • Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt
  • Wolfgang Maennig
  • Felix J. Richter

Abstract

We use a quasi-experimental research design to study the effects of a spatially targeted renewal policy implemented in Berlin, Germany, in the aftermath of the city’s division during the Cold War period. Our results suggest that over the course of 20 years, the policy helped to reduce (increase) the propensity of buildings being in poor (good) condition within the targeted areas by, on average, 1.2–3% (0.6–2.5%) per year. The estimated effects on property prices range from 0.1% to 2% per year. In each case, the lower-bound estimate is not statistically significant. We find little evidence of positive housing externalities or positive welfare effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt & Wolfgang Maennig & Felix J. Richter, 2017. "Urban renewal after the Berlin Wall: a place-based policy evaluation," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(1), pages 129-156.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jecgeo:v:17:y:2017:i:1:p:129-156.
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    1. Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt & Stephen J. Redding & Daniel M. Sturm & Nikolaus Wolf, 2015. "The Economics of Density: Evidence From the Berlin Wall," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 83, pages 2127-2189, November.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Rodríguez-Pose,Andrés & Bartalucci,Federico & Nancy Lozano Gracia & Maria Davalos, 2024. "Overcoming Left-Behindedness : Moving beyond the Efficiency versus Equity Debate in Territorial Development," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10734, The World Bank.
    3. Xiaojun Li & Jieyu Wang & Ke Luo & Yuanling Liang & Shaojian Wang, 2022. "Exploring the Spillover Effects of Urban Renewal on Local House Prices Using Multi-Source Data and Machine Learning: The Case of Shenzhen, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, August.
    4. Sylvain Chareyron & Florence Goffette-Nagot & Lucie Letrouit, 2019. "Impacts of a French urban renewal program on local housing markets," Post-Print halshs-02353718, HAL.
    5. Yang Bai & Wei Zhou & Yanjun Guan & Xue Li & Baohua Huang & Fengchun Lei & Hong Yang & Wenmin Huo, 2020. "Evolution of Policy Concerning the Readjustment of Inefficient Urban Land Use in China Based on a Content Analysis Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-21, January.
    6. Franco, Sofia F. & Macdonald, Jacob L., 2018. "The effects of cultural heritage on residential property values: Evidence from Lisbon, Portugal," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 35-56.
    7. Koster, Hans R.A. & van Ommeren, Jos & Volkhausen, Nicolas, 2021. "Short-term rentals and the housing market: Quasi-experimental evidence from Airbnb in Los Angeles," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    8. Xizan Jin & Tachia Chin & Junli Yu & Yanjiang Zhang & Yingshuang Shi, 2020. "How Government’s Policy Implementation Methods Influence Urban Villagers’ Acceptance of Urban Revitalization Programs: Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-19, March.
    9. Kristoffer Moeller, 2018. "Culturally clustered or in the cloud? How amenities drive firm location decision in Berlin," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(4), pages 728-758, September.
    10. Beimer, Waldemar & Maennig, Wolfgang, 2020. "On the price gap between single family houses and apartments," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    11. Ahlfeldt, Gabriel M. & Heblich, Stephan & Seidel, Tobias, 2023. "Micro-geographic property price and rent indices," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    12. Blanco, Hector & Neri, Lorenzo, 2023. "Knocking It Down and Mixing It Up: The Impact of Public Housing Regenerations," IZA Discussion Papers 15855, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Albanese, Giuseppe & Ciani, Emanuele & de Blasio, Guido, 2021. "Anything new in town? The local effects of urban regeneration policies in Italy," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    14. Xu, Hangtian, 2017. "Spatial Reorganization in Urban Redevelopment: Evidence from an Earthquake in a Metropolitan Area," MPRA Paper 78986, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Andersson, Henrik & Blind, Ina & Brunåker, Fabian & Dahlberg, Matz & Fredriksson, Greta & Granath, Jakob & Liang, Che-Yuan, 2023. "What's in a Label? On Neighbourhood Labelling, Stigma and Housing Prices," SocArXiv xu759, Center for Open Science.
    16. Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt & Wolfgang Maennig & Felix J. Richter, 2017. "Zoning in reunified Berlin," Working Papers 059, Chair for Economic Policy, University of Hamburg.
    17. Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt & Wolfgang Maennig, 2019. "Gewinner und Verlierer von Stadtentwicklung: Ein Plädoyer für mehr Wohneigentum [Winners and losers of urban development: A plea for more home ownership]," Zeitschrift für Immobilienökonomie (German Journal of Real Estate Research), Springer;Gesellschaft für Immobilienwirtschaftliche Forschung e. V., vol. 5(1), pages 111-130, November.
    18. Xinjun Dai & Zeling Li & Lindong Ma & Jing Jin, 2022. "The Spatio-Temporal Pattern and Spatial Effect of Installation of Lifts in Old Residential Buildings: Evidence from Hangzhou in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, September.
    19. Shinya Fukui, 2020. "The effect of deregulation of the "Act concerning the Industry Restriction"," Discussion Papers 2002, Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University.
    20. Chareyron, Sylvain & Goffette-Nagot, Florence & Letrouit, Lucie, 2022. "Externalities from urban renewal: Evidence from a French program," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    21. Goeyvaerts, Geert, 2023. "Reconstructing cities: Stimulating redevelopment through the tax code," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    22. González-Pampillón, Nicolás, 2022. "Spillover effects from new housing supply," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    23. González-Pampillón, Nicolás, 2022. "Spillover effects from new housing supply," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112932, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Urban; renewal; revitalization; redevelopment; quasi-experiment; placed-based policy evaluation; real estate; Berlin;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand
    • R31 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Housing Supply and Markets

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