Events

In this project, I examine the causal effects of local land use regulation—in particular allowable density of residential development—on key outcomes including housing development, transaction volume, and land values. The key problem researchers in this field face is the endogeneity of zoning and other land use regulations; if greater density is allowed in areas close to transit or other amenities that are already more attractive for development, then we cannot disentangle the impacts of those regulations from the effects of other factors that influence land value and development patterns. In order to address that problem, I exploit quasi-random variation in land use controls resulting from Los Angeles Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Affordable Housing Incentive Program. Using a geospatial regression discontinuity (GRD) design, I the effects of these land use incentives on housing development and land values that serve as the basis for property tax assessments. I plan to use this analysis to conduct an evaluation of the TOC program, quantifying the potential fiscal and economic benefits to the city from land use reforms.

The Brazilian social context is characterized by a state and social structure that causes inequalities. The purpose of this work is to analyze the fiscal and extra-fiscal aspects of the Brazilian property tax (IPTU). Considering previous studies have suggested that progressive taxes can promote redistribution, an idea which this study investigates in Brazil.