Ep 81: How New Zealand Passed Its Ambitious Zoning Reforms with Eleanor West

In a previous episode we discussed Auckland’s unprecedented upzoning and its effect on housing production and land prices. This time we’re joined by Eleanor West to talk about the political, social, and economic conditions that made the reforms possible — not only in Auckland, but across New Zealand.

Show notes:

• West, E. (2024). Up-zoning New Zealand: the localisation of a globally mobile policy idea (Policy paper no. 003). University of Auckland: Economic Policy Centre, Urban and Spatial Economics Hub. 
• West, E., & Garlick, M. (2024). Upzoning New Zealand. Works in Progress.
• Episode 45 of UCLA Housing Voice with Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy, on the effects of Auckland’s upzoning on housing production and land prices.
• Greenaway-McGrevy, R., & Phillips, P. C. (2023). The impact of upzoning on housing construction in Auckland. Journal of Urban Economics, 136, 103555.
• Greenaway-McGrevy, R. (2023). Can zoning reform reduce housing costs? Evidence from rents in Auckland. Economic Policy Centre. WP016, 203.
• Two of the recent articles on how people are more skeptical of supply-and-demand arguments for housing compared to other goods and services, while also being very persuadable:
  • Nall, C., Elmendorf, C. S., & Oklobdzija, S. (2024). Folk economics and the persistence of political opposition to new housing. Available at SSRN 4266459.
  • Elmendorf, C. S., Nall, C., & Oklobdzija, S. (2024). Do Housing Supply Skeptics Learn? Evidence from Economics and Advocacy Treatments. Available at SSRN 4955033.
• Episode 23 of UCLA Housing Voice with Michael Hankinson, on the relationship between at-large vs district-level political representation and housing supply.
• YouTube: The Spinoff vs the worst Auckland City Council meeting of all time.