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Local Zoning Laws and the Supply of Multifamily Housing in Greater Boston

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Abstract

Housing affordability is a significant issue in many U.S. metropolitan areas, including Greater Boston. Affordability has always been a major challenge for low-income renters; however, even middle-income families now face considerable affordability hurdles, particularly in metro areas with strong labor markets. Where people live has important implications for their health, schooling, and economic mobility. Researchers and policymakers have devoted attention to the role of land-use practices, such as regulating residential zoning, in creating housing affordability problems, particularly in the context of single-family houses. This paper studies how zoning regulations influence affordability in the context of multifamily housing, focusing on Greater Boston. It finds that reforms such as relaxing housing-density restrictions could lead to meaningful increases in the supply of multifamily housing and reductions in rents.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas Chiumenti & Aradhya Sood, 2022. "Local Zoning Laws and the Supply of Multifamily Housing in Greater Boston," New England Public Policy Center Research Report 22-1, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedbcr:94865
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Darcy Rollins & Alicia Sasser & Robert Tannenwald & Bo Zhao, 2006. "The lack of affordable housing in New England: how big a problem?: why is it growing?: what are we doing about it?," New England Public Policy Center Working Paper 06-1, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    4. Gyourko, Joseph & Hartley, Jonathan S. & Krimmel, Jacob, 2021. "The local residential land use regulatory environment across U.S. housing markets: Evidence from a new Wharton index," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    multifamily zoning; height restrictions; density; house prices; rents;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government

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