Housing market behavior with restrictive land supply

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1994.Includes bibliographical references (p. 129-134).by Ruijue Peng.Ph.D

Housing policy in Shanghai, China, analysis of settlement environment and

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1986.MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCHBibliography: leaves 72-74.In the recent decade, China has been facing serious housing shortages and inequalities in the urban sector. Shanghai, the largest and the most congested city in the country, represents housing problems of China in its extreme. Based upon the situation of this city, the thesis demonstrates the working of China's urban housing policy: its achievements in eliminating urban slums at the early stage and its failure of providing adequate housing later on. The analysis of the housing problems is focused on the notion that housing should be a universally provided welfare commodity. A variety of negative effects resulted from this notion are broken down to illustrate: i) low priority and of investment and low production; ii) inequalities in distribution; iii) heavily subsidized rents; iv) difficulties in cost recovery; v) "stereotyped" new residential construct ion. In the light of the analysis, the thesis discusses the current experiment in housing policy reform. Although the direction of the reform toward commercialization seems appropriate, the actual remedial policy provides only a temporary relief of the housing shortage but complicates inequalities in the urban sector. The argument of the thesis is that practical reforms should challenge the investment pattern and the distribution structure which have together led the problems. A combination of market and non-market methods to channel state housing services and subsidies to different income is suggested as a more effective way. In addition, the reform of policy will inevitably have its impacts on architectural design. The aim of the thesis is to provide an overview of housing development in China. It shows that China shares with many industrializing countries a shortage of housing and housing inequality in the urban sector. Its housing problem, however, is brought about by a peculiar set of policy directives and institutional arrangements that differs entirely from many countries. The study provides a reference for future policy formulation in China.by Ruijue Peng.M.S

Growth management and housing prices: the case of Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon, is well known for its relatively unique urban growth boundary (UGB), a very tight form of zoning designed to control sprawl. The UGB has recently been criticized for raising housing prices. From a theoretical perspective, the UGB will put upward pressure on land and thus housing prices, but the magnitude of this effect is uncertain. Increasing density should substitute for higher land prices, partially offsetting any reduction in the supply of housing. In addition, at any given moment, speculative factors influence housing price levels in bull markets such as the one Portland has been experiencing. This article presents an econometric analysis assessing these conflicting effects. We find the UGB has created upward pressure on housing prices, but the effect is relatively small in magnitude. Copyright 2000 Western Economic Association International.