The impact of upzoning on housing construction in Auckland

Greenaway‐McGrevy, Ryan; Phillips, Peter C.B.

doi:10.1016/j.jue.2023.103555

Cited by 20 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…In fact, zoning change is often intertwined with the mechanism of transferable development rights which is considered a complementary process (Chiodelli and Moroni, 2016). The significance of this connection has been recently acknowledged by researchers largely in the context of the housing market (Freemark, 2023; Greenaway-McGrevy and Phillips, 2023).…”

Section: The Power Of Land-use Regulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rezoning a top-notch CBD: The choreography of land-use regulation and creative destruction in Manhattan’s East Midtown

Charney

2023

Urban Studies

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This paper makes the case for the connection between making land-use regulatory changes and the process of destruction and redevelopment. Under the capitalist imperative, buildings that do not fulfil the full potential for profit are likely to be demolished (or refurbished) but demolition and new development are not shaped exclusively by the immutable laws of the market as they are mediated and facilitated by specific institutional contexts. Using the case of East Midtown rezoning in New York City, the paper examines the amendments of two land-use regulatory mechanisms: the enlargement of development rights (rezoning or upzoning) and the relaxation of the spatial limitations on the usage of existing unused rights (transferable development rights). While apparently unconnected, upzoning and transferable development rights are part of the regulatory framework that seeks to secure the ongoing generation of the highest-possible profits for private as well as public interests. By examining the choreography of rezoning and transferable development rights, the paper shows how the mechanics of creative destruction work while substantiating an existing body of knowledge on land use policies and practices in New York City. When used together, rezoning and transferable development rights are instrumental in remaking the built environment. Essentially, the rezoning of a 78-block area in East Midtown Manhattan unlocks captured and latent development rights that otherwise could not come about, and demonstrates the necessity of institutional arrangements to make creative destruction actually work.

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Section: The Power Of Land-use Regulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rezoning a top-notch CBD: The choreography of land-use regulation and creative destruction in Manhattan’s East Midtown

Charney

2023

Urban Studies

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“…Until now, the most well-known cases of low-density zoning reform in the United States (in Minnesota and California) have not substantially increased the permitted size of new structures, limiting the impact of allowing more units per lot (Fox, 2022; Kuhlmann, 2021). Existing research from New Zealand illustrates the overall positive property value and housing production impacts of the AUP (Greenaway-McGrevy and Phillips, 2021; Greenaway-McGrevy et al, 2021) and recent adjustments to the AUP to increase supply closer to employment (Coughlan, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The heterogeneous impacts of widespread upzoning: Lessons from Auckland, New Zealand

2023

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Zoning reform is increasingly recognised as an important strategy to increase housing affordability and environmental sustainability. Few cities have undertaken significant upzoning of low-density neighbourhoods, making the 2016 Auckland Unitary Plan (AUP) probably the most ambitious zoning reform in the world. Parcels zoned for single houses previously dominated Auckland, but three-quarters of them now allow multiple units. Existing studies have documented the building boom that followed this zoning reform, yet the relatively rare case offers additional insights. In this article, we use appraisal, census and zoning data on over 200,000 parcels in Auckland to answer three research questions about the heterogeneous impacts of the AUP. First, to what extent did upzoning increase the appraised value of properties’ redevelopment options? Second, did upzoning increase appraised property values to a greater degree in higher-income and more centrally located neighbourhoods? Finally, was zoning reform in Auckland significantly influenced by similar political pressures as in other countries? That is, was upzoning less likely (and downzoning more likely) in higher-income neighbourhoods? The answers to these three questions are substantially, it’s complicated, and yes.

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Going it alone: The impact of upzoning on housing construction in Lower Hutt

Maltman,

Greenaway-McGrevy

2025

Journal of Housing Economics

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The impact of upzoning on housing construction in Auckland

Cited by 20 publications

References 35 publications

Rezoning a top-notch CBD: The choreography of land-use regulation and creative destruction in Manhattan’s East Midtown

Rezoning a top-notch CBD: The choreography of land-use regulation and creative destruction in Manhattan’s East Midtown

The heterogeneous impacts of widespread upzoning: Lessons from Auckland, New Zealand

Going it alone: The impact of upzoning on housing construction in Lower Hutt

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