flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Zoning that restricts housing construction also dampens other economic development

Codes and Standards

Zoning that restricts housing construction also dampens other economic development

Land use restrictions reduce U.S. GDP by 9% annually.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | August 1, 2017
A crane moves materials on a construciton site

Pixabay Public Domain

Zoning restrictions are making the construction of housing more difficult, and that is driving up the cost of housing in many cities.

What’s more, that effect is having an impact beyond the construction industry, according to a study by two economists, Chang-Tai Hsieh of the University of Chicago and Enrico Moretti of the University of California at Berkeley. They estimate that zoning restrictions reduced U.S. GDP as a whole by 9% percent a year, or roughly $1.5 trillion a year.

Some urbanists and city planners view the key to rebuilding cities, reigniting innovation, and improving productivity is to do away with onerous zoning codes and land-use restrictions that stymie much-needed development. This is particularly true when it comes to housing in certain technology and economic hubs such as like New York and San Francisco.

The two economists recently published an update to their study, and found that such zoning constraints lowered the aggregate growth by more than half between 1964 and 2009. The study advocates for investing in mass transit, light rail, subways and high-speed rail to connect places together. Such investments in transit are likely to have a much bigger positive economic impact than eliminating land use restrictions by linking job centers to outlying places, where land is relatively cheap and housing more affordable, the economists argue.

Related Stories

| May 25, 2012

Alaska’s okay of gravel aggregate with naturally occurring asbestos opens up development

Some long-delayed projects in the Upper Kobuk region of Alaska may now move forward thanks to legislation that allows construction in areas that have naturally occurring asbestos.

| May 25, 2012

Las Vegas building codes may thwart innovative shipping container development

A developer wants to build a commercial development out of steel shipping containers in Las Vegas, but city codes would have to be altered or the project would have to obtain waivers for it to receive the city’s go-ahead.

| May 25, 2012

Collapse of Brooklyn building that killed worker blamed on improperly braced frame

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited SP&K Construction with 11 safety violations, for which it could face more than $77,000 in fines.

| May 25, 2012

Study: Safety inspections don’t hurt the bottom line

A new study suggests that random safety inspections by regulators help reduce injury claims without hurting profits.

| May 24, 2012

2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form

Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.

| May 17, 2012

New standard for Structural Insulated Panels under development

ASTM International and NTA, Inc. are developing a new standard for Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) that would create a path for U.S. manufacturers to meet the requirements of the Canadian building code.

| May 17, 2012

Webinar: ‘What Energy Codes and Standards Are Adopted Where and by Whom’

A June 12 webinar by the Construction Specifications Institute will outline what energy codes and standards have been adopted in each of the states for commercial buildings, and what is anticipated to be adopted in the future.

| May 17, 2012

California Governor orders new green standards on state buildings

California Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order recently that calls for all new or renovated state buildings of more than 10,000 sf to achieve LEED Silver or higher and incorporate clean, onsite power generation.

| May 17, 2012

New Zealand stadium roof collapse blamed on snow, construction defects

Heavy snowfall, construction defects, and design problems contributed to the collapse of the Stadium Southland roof in New Zealand in September 2010, a report has found.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Warehouses

California bill would limit where distribution centers can be built

A bill that passed the California legislature would limit where distribution centers can be located and impose other rules aimed at reducing air pollution and traffic. Assembly Bill 98 would tighten building standards for new warehouses and ban heavy diesel truck traffic next to sensitive sites including homes, schools, parks and nursing homes.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021