US

Housing in New York

Question A:

Freezing the rents paid by tenants of all rent-stabilized apartments in New York for four years would substantially improve the availability of affordable housing for low- and middle-income households.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question B:

Freezing the rents paid by tenants of all rent-stabilized apartments in New York for four years would be a substantial deterrent to private housing investment in the city.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question C:

Loosening land-use regulations and other regulation-related constraints on construction in New York (with no rent freeze) would be a substantial boost to private housing investment in the city over the next ten years.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question A Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Aguiar
Mark Aguiar
Princeton
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
It will benefit those in apartments in the short run, but will reduce the supply of apartments by reducing mobility, reduce construction, and encouraging conversions to condominiums.
-see background information here
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Strongly Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT
Strongly Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Bergemann
Dirk Bergemann
Yale
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Brunnermeier
Markus Brunnermeier
Princeton
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
not in the long-run
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale
Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
It *may* have benefits for incumbent renters but hard to see how it could improve "availability"
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
Strongly Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Rent controls restrict the supply of new housing and reduce the likelihood that currently occupied homes will be efficiently re-allocated. (Rent controls are nice for people that already have housing.)
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Affordability will be increased for sitting tenants, some of whom are middle income. But availability of affordable apartments for anyone seeking housing is likely to decrease.
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Einav
Liran Einav
Stanford
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Glaeser
Edward Glaeser
Harvard
Strongly Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Hart
Oliver Hart
Harvard
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
The main way to improve the availability of affordable housing for low- and middle-income households is to increase the supply and this will not do that
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hoynes
Hilary Hoynes
Berkeley
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Hurst
Erik Hurst
Chicago Booth
Strongly Disagree
10
Bio/Vote History
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford
Strongly Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Reducing the monetary cost of housing will lead to other ways of rationing the fixed supply of housing and no change in availability of affordable housing.
Kaplan
Steven Kaplan
Chicago Booth
Strongly Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford
Strongly Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Freezing rents might help existing tenants, but it would interfere with creating new housing units and with adequately maintaining existing ones
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Obstfeld
Maurice Obstfeld
Peterson Institute for International Economics
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
Pathak
Parag Pathak
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Samuelson
Larry Samuelson
Yale
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Some tenants will certainty benefit from frozen rents, but the freeze may have adverse effects on supply, even in the relatively short time period of four years.
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
Strongly Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Strongly Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Scott Morton
Fiona Scott Morton
Yale
Disagree
10
Bio/Vote History
Shapiro
Carl Shapiro
Berkeley
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Shimer
Robert Shimer
University of Chicago
Strongly Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
This would improve affordability for people already in such apartments, worsen affordability for those not in such apartments, worsen the allocation of the apartments to people who need them, and reduce the quality of such apartments due to deferred maintenance
Stantcheva
Stefanie Stantcheva
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Stock
James Stock
Harvard
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Stokey
Nancy Stokey
University of Chicago
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Syverson
Chad Syverson
Chicago Booth
Strongly Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
For the short run, this should work.
Werning
Ivan Werning
MIT
Strongly Disagree
10
Bio/Vote History
Freezing rents would be a windfall benefit for current tenants the lucky new tenants (which will be fewer). It will be harder for prospective tenants to get apartments with the existing stock.

Question B Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Aguiar
Mark Aguiar
Princeton
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Bergemann
Dirk Bergemann
Yale
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Brunnermeier
Markus Brunnermeier
Princeton
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Rent stabilization applies to housing built w certain tax subsidies & agreements. So, overall impact on ALL private development not obvious.
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
My uncertainty is related to my lack of knowledge about the degree of substitution by developers into new housing units designed for sale, rather than rental.
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Investors will fear the expansion of rent control or rent freezes.
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Einav
Liran Einav
Stanford
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Glaeser
Edward Glaeser
Harvard
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago
Disagree
2
Bio/Vote History
I think the stabilized rent apartments are largely in a separated market. I'm sure one affects the other but I suspect not very much at least through the middle run.
Hart
Oliver Hart
Harvard
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hoynes
Hilary Hoynes
Berkeley
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Hurst
Erik Hurst
Chicago Booth
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Kaplan
Steven Kaplan
Chicago Booth
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Especially think about maintenance alone.
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Obstfeld
Maurice Obstfeld
Peterson Institute for International Economics
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Pathak
Parag Pathak
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Samuelson
Larry Samuelson
Yale
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
Strongly Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Scott Morton
Fiona Scott Morton
Yale
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Shapiro
Carl Shapiro
Berkeley
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Shimer
Robert Shimer
University of Chicago
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
This is true if Mamdani fulfills his desire to applying rent stabilization to new construction
Stantcheva
Stefanie Stantcheva
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Stock
James Stock
Harvard
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Stokey
Nancy Stokey
University of Chicago
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Syverson
Chad Syverson
Chicago Booth
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Depends somewhat on whether new units are exempted from controls, but I'm reading "all" as all
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Werning
Ivan Werning
MIT
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Yes, incentives and supply of rent stabilized units fall. Existing units convert to condos etc. New construction with rent stabilized falls---unless tax incentives are increased. Market rent units may rise as developers shift there. Overall construction likely falls.

Question C Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Aguiar
Mark Aguiar
Princeton
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT
Disagree
1
Bio/Vote History
Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Bergemann
Dirk Bergemann
Yale
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Brunnermeier
Markus Brunnermeier
Princeton
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Directionally, this would happen. I'm not knowledgeable enough to judge whether the effect would be "substantial."
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Einav
Liran Einav
Stanford
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Glaeser
Edward Glaeser
Harvard
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Hart
Oliver Hart
Harvard
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Hoynes
Hilary Hoynes
Berkeley
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Hurst
Erik Hurst
Chicago Booth
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
I have a research paper on this very topic entitled Income Growth and the Distributional Effects of Urban Spatial Sorting. See link below.
-see background information here
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Kaplan
Steven Kaplan
Chicago Booth
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Obstfeld
Maurice Obstfeld
Peterson Institute for International Economics
Agree
2
Bio/Vote History
Pathak
Parag Pathak
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Samuelson
Larry Samuelson
Yale
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
See e.g., Glaeser and Gyourko "The Impact of Building Restrictions on Housing Affordability, Federal Reserve Bank of NY, June 2003"
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Scott Morton
Fiona Scott Morton
Yale
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Shapiro
Carl Shapiro
Berkeley
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Shimer
Robert Shimer
University of Chicago
Strongly Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Stantcheva
Stefanie Stantcheva
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Stock
James Stock
Harvard
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Stokey
Nancy Stokey
University of Chicago
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Syverson
Chad Syverson
Chicago Booth
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern
Strongly Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
But the details really matter...
Werning
Ivan Werning
MIT
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History