Dissertation research:

Ch1: The “home-voter hypothesis” and why homeowners oppose new local housing: an agent-based approach

I build a simple modeling framework where agents vote on new local housing but dislike when their votes diverge from those of other residents. If a voting disparity between pro-housing and anti-housing agents in owner-occupied homes is large enough, residents will forego any processes to build new housing, returning to the status quo. I calibrate the model using findings from Ch3.

Ch2: A causal assessment of residential upzoning on housing prices using synthetic controls (JMP draft — respectfully, please do not circulate)

An analysis of the city-level policy changes involving low-density residential upzoning in Minneapolis and its effect on housing outcomes. I consider the difficulty of applying causal inference techniques in these settings. Naturally, assignment into treatment is non-random, as city officials opted into the policy. There were also demand-side (amenity-affecting) elements implemented alongside the zoning policy, meaning measured treatment effects must be decomposed into demand effects and supply effects.

Ch3: Accessory dwelling units’ impact on housing outcomes: spatial regression-discontinuity evidence from Chicago

Chicago implemented an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) ordinance within five different zones across the city. I estimate the effects of the policy on both new permit density and new total unit density using spatial regression discontinuity and difference-in-regression-discontinuity designs.

Committee members: Dr. Steve Newbold (Chair), Dr. Thorsten Janus, Dr. Alexander James, Dr. Nino Abashidze