2019 Local Government fly-in “Book Club”
access the documents here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nrpt0n89wllba6w/AADHE-2wnooCa1jg20lw0ruia?dl=0
The theme of these readings is to think about the interaction of low-regulation approaches to land use with other government activities. The key question is, “If your city or state moved to a low-regulation approach to land use, what would it need to change about its other activities?”
Tuesday: Order Without Design by Alain Bertaud (2018) pp. 267-306. This covers four case studies of affordable housing provision, from South Africa, the US, Indonesia, and China. I’ve had the entire chapter scanned, so people can read pp. 219-267 for a good theoretical & practical grounding in the concept of affordability.
To illustrate the Indonesia example, spend a little time on Google Maps. Here’s one good example of a kampung surrounded by formal development. And here’s the streetview of the kampong that Bertaud uses as Figure 6.24.
To illustrate the China example, Shenzhen’s “handshake villages” are very easy to spot on satellite; see here for example. Browse some photos, too.
I recommend buying Order Without Design and reading the whole thing at your leisure. The chapters on labor markets and mobility are especially good.
Wednesday: Land Use Without Zoning by Bernard Siegan (1972), pp. 23-76. This is the backbone of Siegan’s study of how development occurs in Houston without zoning. For those interested in the effects of Houston’s recent regulatory relaxation, see Nolan Gray & Adam Millsap’s working paper.
Land Use Without Zoning is out of print, but Mercatus is working on reprinting it. Please buy a copy once we’ve spiffed it up new!
–Salim Furth