The L.A. Riot and the Economics of Urban Unrest

The Los Angeles riot of 1992 resulted in 52 deaths, 2,500 injuries and at least $446 million in property damage; this staggering toll rekindled interest in understanding the underlying causes of the widespread social phenomenon of rioting. We examine the causes of rioting using international data, evidence from the race riots of the 1960s in the U.S., and Census data on Los Angeles, 1990. We find some support for the notions that the opportunity costs of time and the potential costs of punishment influence the incidence and intensity of riots. Beyond these individual costs and benefits, community structure matters. In our results, ethnic diversity seems a significant determinant of rioting, while we find little evidence that poverty in the community matters.

Comparing the costs of federal housing assistance programs

This paper was presented at the conference "Policies to Promote Affordable Housing," cosponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and New York University's Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, February 7, 2002. It was part of Session 4: Housing Subsidies and Finance.Housing - Finance ; Rent ; Housing policy ; Housing - Prices ; Construction industry ; Housing subsidies

Measuring Neighborhood Investments: Urban Quality of Life Expenditures by Race

Community Choice is a very important household decision since it represents an investment in community attributes that can have a significant impact on the quality of life of all household members, particularly influencing the future prospects of children. In this paper, 1990 census data are used to rank communities in Los Angeles County. We study the community choice of new migrants and find that controlling for income, black and Hispanic households consume significantly less in community attributes. Potential explanations for this gap are explored

State aid to local school districts : a comparative analysis

Thesis. 1979. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning.MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH.Bibliography: leaves 158-161.by Denise M. Dipasquale.Ph.D

Why Are Regulations Changed? A Parcel Analysis of Upzoning in Los Angeles

Planners, officials, and neighborhood groups often debate zoning changes, yet there is little empirical evidence explaining why zoning and other land use regulations are changed. I use logistic regression models to examine density-enabling rezoning (“upzoning”) in Los Angeles. I find that upzoning occurs where there are development opportunities combined with limited political resistance. Upzoning is most likely on well-located parcels zoned for low-intensity, nonresidential uses. Meanwhile, homeowners—and particularly homeowners with access to valuable amenities—are associated with regulatory stasis. I conclude by recommending strategies for addressing homeowners’ concerns about higher density housing