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Lessons from an Aborted Second-Generation Rent Control in Catalonia

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  • Konstantin A. Kholodilin
  • Fernando A. López
  • David Rey Blanco
  • Pelayo González Arbués

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of short-lived rent control regulations introduced in Catalonia in September 2020 and revoked in March 2022. Using the microdata of the largest Spanish housing advertisement portal idealista between January 2017 and May 2022, we analyze the dynamics of prices and supply for dwellings offered for rent and for sale. We also examine separately the rental and sales markets. We find that the introduction of rent control led to a reduction in rents in both controlled and uncontrolled Catalan municipalities, while quantities virtually did not react to it. The selling prices of dwellings remained unchanged, whereas their supply increased substantially. The revocation of rent control caused a strong increase in the rental and selling prices in all municipalities, no increase in the supply, with the exception of the supply of regulated dwellings for sale. In addition, using the macrodata on housing construction we find that during the rent-control period the average number of monthly dwelling starts in Catalonia declined by 6% compared to January 2019 – September 2020, while nationwide it increased by almost 12%. Thus, the effects are broadly consistent with the predictions of the economic literature on rent controls.

Suggested Citation

  • Konstantin A. Kholodilin & Fernando A. López & David Rey Blanco & Pelayo González Arbués, 2022. "Lessons from an Aborted Second-Generation Rent Control in Catalonia," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 2008, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp2008
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    File URL: https://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.844514.de/dp2008.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Konstantin Kholodilin, 2020. "Long-Term, Multicountry Perspective on Rental Market Regulations," Housing Policy Debate, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(6), pages 994-1015, November.
    2. Hahn, Anja M. & Kholodilin, Konstantin A. & Waltl, Sofie R., 2020. "Forward to the Past: Short-Term Effects of the Rent Freeze in Berlin," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 308, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    3. Konstantin A. Kholodilin, 2022. "Rent Control Effects through the Lens of Empirical Research," DIW Roundup: Politik im Fokus 139, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Mense, Andreas & Michelsen, Claus & Cholodilin, Konstantin A., 2017. "Empirics on the causal effects of rent control in Germany," FAU Discussion Papers in Economics 24/2017, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Institute for Economics.
    5. Breidenbach, Philipp & Eilers, Lea & Fries, Jan, 2022. "Temporal dynamics of rent regulations – The case of the German rent control," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    6. Thomschke, Lorenz, 2015. "Changes in the distribution of rental prices in Berlin," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 88-100.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Rent control; Catalonia; asking rents; asking selling prices;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • R38 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Government Policy

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