Stu Donovan
@studonovan.bsky.social
Economist researching cities, transport, housing, & energy. I focus on New Zealand & Australia, with European dalliances. And some chaff.
Pinned
Stu Donovan
@studonovan.bsky.social
· Nov 18
if you're passionate about cities and want to learn more about urban economics and its policy implications, then please consider using the form below to register your interest in the short courses that I run each year.
forms.office.com/pages/respon...
forms.office.com/pages/respon...
⭐ New Zealand polling update⭐
As we wait on new polling data following the recent budget here in New Zealand, I thought I'd crank the handle on my model that aggregates political polling data and infers the "average" levels of support for individual parties.
As we wait on new polling data following the recent budget here in New Zealand, I thought I'd crank the handle on my model that aggregates political polling data and infers the "average" levels of support for individual parties.
May 28, 2025 at 5:58 AM
⭐ New Zealand polling update⭐
As we wait on new polling data following the recent budget here in New Zealand, I thought I'd crank the handle on my model that aggregates political polling data and infers the "average" levels of support for individual parties.
As we wait on new polling data following the recent budget here in New Zealand, I thought I'd crank the handle on my model that aggregates political polling data and infers the "average" levels of support for individual parties.
After a ten-year hiatus from blogging, the hard-working people at @greaterauckland.bsky.social (Greater Auckland) have kindly agreed to publish some of my rando musings as a guest blog post titled, "Why it takes a city to save a village, and vice versa."
www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/05/13/w...
www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/05/13/w...
Why it takes a city to save a village, and vice versa - Greater Auckland
This guest post by Dr Stuart Donovan looks at how strengthening the urban core can turn liabilities into assets. The header image of Rangiwhakaoma is by the author. I recently travelled to the remarka...
www.greaterauckland.org.nz
May 12, 2025 at 10:13 PM
After a ten-year hiatus from blogging, the hard-working people at @greaterauckland.bsky.social (Greater Auckland) have kindly agreed to publish some of my rando musings as a guest blog post titled, "Why it takes a city to save a village, and vice versa."
www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/05/13/w...
www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/05/13/w...
Reposted by Stu Donovan
A great LinkedIn post inspired by a talk by @studonovan.bsky.social
“Making the most of our city means allowing more housing where the market wants it to be.”
“Making the most of our city means allowing more housing where the market wants it to be.”
April 3, 2025 at 8:42 AM
A great LinkedIn post inspired by a talk by @studonovan.bsky.social
“Making the most of our city means allowing more housing where the market wants it to be.”
“Making the most of our city means allowing more housing where the market wants it to be.”
Do you have:
❓ a passion for research
❓ a PhD (or, are close to getting one)
❓ the desire to live + work in New Zealand
If you answered ✅ ✅ ✅, then you might want to consider applying for Research Fellow or Senior Fellow positions with us at Motu Research.
More deets:
www.motu.nz/about-us/wor...
❓ a passion for research
❓ a PhD (or, are close to getting one)
❓ the desire to live + work in New Zealand
If you answered ✅ ✅ ✅, then you might want to consider applying for Research Fellow or Senior Fellow positions with us at Motu Research.
More deets:
www.motu.nz/about-us/wor...
Applications for Research Fellow and Senior Fellow | Motu
www.motu.nz
May 1, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Do you have:
❓ a passion for research
❓ a PhD (or, are close to getting one)
❓ the desire to live + work in New Zealand
If you answered ✅ ✅ ✅, then you might want to consider applying for Research Fellow or Senior Fellow positions with us at Motu Research.
More deets:
www.motu.nz/about-us/wor...
❓ a passion for research
❓ a PhD (or, are close to getting one)
❓ the desire to live + work in New Zealand
If you answered ✅ ✅ ✅, then you might want to consider applying for Research Fellow or Senior Fellow positions with us at Motu Research.
More deets:
www.motu.nz/about-us/wor...
To my dear friends in my beloved Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand -- I'm pleased to be visiting your verdant shores on *2 April* for two public events that some of you might be interested in coming along to.
Find links to details + register below.
Find links to details + register below.
March 6, 2025 at 10:02 PM
To my dear friends in my beloved Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand -- I'm pleased to be visiting your verdant shores on *2 April* for two public events that some of you might be interested in coming along to.
Find links to details + register below.
Find links to details + register below.
🚨 urban economics research siren 🚨
In this recently published (open access) paper in "Land Use Policy", my co-author (Matthew Maltman) and I review critiques of the economic evidence on the effects of upzoning in Auckland.
We find these critiques have little to no merit.
doi.org/10.1016/j.la...
In this recently published (open access) paper in "Land Use Policy", my co-author (Matthew Maltman) and I review critiques of the economic evidence on the effects of upzoning in Auckland.
We find these critiques have little to no merit.
doi.org/10.1016/j.la...
February 12, 2025 at 8:27 PM
🚨 urban economics research siren 🚨
In this recently published (open access) paper in "Land Use Policy", my co-author (Matthew Maltman) and I review critiques of the economic evidence on the effects of upzoning in Auckland.
We find these critiques have little to no merit.
doi.org/10.1016/j.la...
In this recently published (open access) paper in "Land Use Policy", my co-author (Matthew Maltman) and I review critiques of the economic evidence on the effects of upzoning in Auckland.
We find these critiques have little to no merit.
doi.org/10.1016/j.la...
Hi fwiends, I'm pleased to be contributing to a discussion on housing and infrastructure policy that is being organised by the Law and Economics of New Zealand and hosted by KPMG Wellington on 13 February.
Deets and register (in person or online) here:
eventbrite.co.nz/e/pipe-dream...
Deets and register (in person or online) here:
eventbrite.co.nz/e/pipe-dream...
Pipe Dreams? Enabling and funding housing growth in New Zealand
Eventbrite - LEANZ presents Pipe Dreams? Enabling and funding housing growth in New Zealand - Thursday, 13 February 2025 at KPMG Wellington, Wellington, Wellington. Find event and ticket information.
eventbrite.co.nz
January 23, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Hi fwiends, I'm pleased to be contributing to a discussion on housing and infrastructure policy that is being organised by the Law and Economics of New Zealand and hosted by KPMG Wellington on 13 February.
Deets and register (in person or online) here:
eventbrite.co.nz/e/pipe-dream...
Deets and register (in person or online) here:
eventbrite.co.nz/e/pipe-dream...
Reposted by Stu Donovan
"Before [racial zoning] was overturned by a court, Atlanta had an explicitly racist zoning code ... To comply with the court ruling, 'R-1 White Districts' became 'Dwelling House Districts' ... and 'R-2 Colored Districts' became Apartment House districts."
www.atlcitydesign.com/blog/2021/1/...
www.atlcitydesign.com/blog/2021/1/...
Exclusionary policies of the past and present: How single-family zoning structures inequality — Atlanta Department of City Planning
By Kendra Taylor, Project Manager, Office of Housing and Community Development Racial and economic segregation are so prevalent today that it is easy to assume that segregation arises naturally thro...
www.atlcitydesign.com
January 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
"Before [racial zoning] was overturned by a court, Atlanta had an explicitly racist zoning code ... To comply with the court ruling, 'R-1 White Districts' became 'Dwelling House Districts' ... and 'R-2 Colored Districts' became Apartment House districts."
www.atlcitydesign.com/blog/2021/1/...
www.atlcitydesign.com/blog/2021/1/...
🚨urban economics research siren 🚨
A new (open access) paper considers the effects of upzonings in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
tldr
- housing permits ⬆️ by ~10-18%
- rents ⬇️by ~21% vs counterfactual
These effects are for the metropolitan region.
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A new (open access) paper considers the effects of upzonings in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
tldr
- housing permits ⬆️ by ~10-18%
- rents ⬇️by ~21% vs counterfactual
These effects are for the metropolitan region.
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Going it alone: The impact of upzoning on housing construction in Lower Hutt
This paper studies a sequence of zoning reforms enacted in Lower Hutt, a constituent municipality of the wider Wellington metropolitan region of New Z…
sciencedirect.com
January 20, 2025 at 8:44 AM
🚨urban economics research siren 🚨
A new (open access) paper considers the effects of upzonings in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
tldr
- housing permits ⬆️ by ~10-18%
- rents ⬇️by ~21% vs counterfactual
These effects are for the metropolitan region.
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A new (open access) paper considers the effects of upzonings in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
tldr
- housing permits ⬆️ by ~10-18%
- rents ⬇️by ~21% vs counterfactual
These effects are for the metropolitan region.
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
One of my final fun projects as a consultant in Australia was to contribute to a project that sought to incorporate the benefits of bus priority into a macroscopic ("strategic", or four step) transport model. You can read more about the process here.
veitchlister.com/bus-priority...
veitchlister.com/bus-priority...
Measuring and incorporating a wider set of bus priority benefits in strategic modelling - Veitch Lister Consulting - VLC
In transport modelling, we usually get reasonable insights from our tools. But sometimes we get the feeling that something is missing.
veitchlister.com
January 18, 2025 at 7:19 AM
One of my final fun projects as a consultant in Australia was to contribute to a project that sought to incorporate the benefits of bus priority into a macroscopic ("strategic", or four step) transport model. You can read more about the process here.
veitchlister.com/bus-priority...
veitchlister.com/bus-priority...
Does housing affordability and security affects fertility?
According to this study the answer is "yes": When people aged 20-25 years are given social housing (via lottery), then they are 32% more likely to have a child and end up having 33% more children in total.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
According to this study the answer is "yes": When people aged 20-25 years are given social housing (via lottery), then they are 32% more likely to have a child and end up having 33% more children in total.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Housing and Fertility
This paper examines the impact of access to housing on fertility rates using random variation from housing credit lotteries in Brazil. We find that obtaining ho
papers.ssrn.com
January 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Does housing affordability and security affects fertility?
According to this study the answer is "yes": When people aged 20-25 years are given social housing (via lottery), then they are 32% more likely to have a child and end up having 33% more children in total.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
According to this study the answer is "yes": When people aged 20-25 years are given social housing (via lottery), then they are 32% more likely to have a child and end up having 33% more children in total.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Kia ora from Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand, where the clouds are doing something a little special.
January 2, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Kia ora from Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand, where the clouds are doing something a little special.
"Impacts on the value of adjoining properties are not a matter for consideration under the planning scheme ... The development contributes to Brisbane's housing in that it is diverse in type and form, offering choice to different household types and income levels ..."
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...
Lower home values a fair price for more housing, planner says
Apartment owners in the Brisbane suburb of St Lucia fear a new development nearby will lower their property prices, but urban planners say housing affordability is more important.
www.abc.net.au
January 1, 2025 at 10:05 PM
"Impacts on the value of adjoining properties are not a matter for consideration under the planning scheme ... The development contributes to Brisbane's housing in that it is diverse in type and form, offering choice to different household types and income levels ..."
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01...
Pleased to confirm that we have absolutely, positively arrived in Wellington, New Zealand. And it was "on a good day", as they say.
In a few weeks, I'll get busy trying to help make this place into a shining city on a hill. But for now, bring on the summer holidays.
In a few weeks, I'll get busy trying to help make this place into a shining city on a hill. But for now, bring on the summer holidays.
December 29, 2024 at 5:24 AM
Pleased to confirm that we have absolutely, positively arrived in Wellington, New Zealand. And it was "on a good day", as they say.
In a few weeks, I'll get busy trying to help make this place into a shining city on a hill. But for now, bring on the summer holidays.
In a few weeks, I'll get busy trying to help make this place into a shining city on a hill. But for now, bring on the summer holidays.
Reposted by Stu Donovan
Concentrating ~all of your city’s new less-expensive housing on polluted and dangerous main streets while reserving the quiet side streets exclusively for people wealthy enough to afford single family homes, which are the most expensive and luxurious type of housing, is profoundly classist.
Patios can only be on main streets. New housing can only be on main streets. Bike lanes can't be on main streets. Young person - enjoy your dinner right next to unfettered vehicle traffic and fumes, make your way back to your apartment to enjoy in the noise and fumes at night.
Councillor Holyday's motion to refer the corner store legalization item back to staff for more consultation CARRIES 18-1.
December 21, 2024 at 5:25 PM
Concentrating ~all of your city’s new less-expensive housing on polluted and dangerous main streets while reserving the quiet side streets exclusively for people wealthy enough to afford single family homes, which are the most expensive and luxurious type of housing, is profoundly classist.
Reposted by Stu Donovan
A single sentence, that if embraced by urbanists, mayors, city councillors & the dude who works in finance but is convinced he intuitively knows how to design a street, would greatly improve cities. This sentence would also make community engagement sessions far more productive.
December 20, 2024 at 4:18 PM
A single sentence, that if embraced by urbanists, mayors, city councillors & the dude who works in finance but is convinced he intuitively knows how to design a street, would greatly improve cities. This sentence would also make community engagement sessions far more productive.
Reposted by Stu Donovan
1. Developer files a DA to build some units.
2. City of Sydney says they’re too tall, ‘uncharacteristic’.
3. Developer reduces number of units, reaches agreement with City of Sydney.
4. Land and Environment Court rejects application because there’s not enough units.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
2. City of Sydney says they’re too tall, ‘uncharacteristic’.
3. Developer reduces number of units, reaches agreement with City of Sydney.
4. Land and Environment Court rejects application because there’s not enough units.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
‘You can’t always get what you want’: Court knocks back controversial Elizabeth Bay apartment block
A NSW court refused consent for the luxury development over housing supply concerns, in a decision quoting the Rolling Stones’ 1969 hit and Coldplay’s Fix You.
www.smh.com.au
December 21, 2024 at 9:39 AM
1. Developer files a DA to build some units.
2. City of Sydney says they’re too tall, ‘uncharacteristic’.
3. Developer reduces number of units, reaches agreement with City of Sydney.
4. Land and Environment Court rejects application because there’s not enough units.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
2. City of Sydney says they’re too tall, ‘uncharacteristic’.
3. Developer reduces number of units, reaches agreement with City of Sydney.
4. Land and Environment Court rejects application because there’s not enough units.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Reposted by Stu Donovan
The Point Chev to Westmere Cycleway is open and safer summer rides to the beach are on! 🚲 🌳 🏊♂️
December 21, 2024 at 1:20 AM
The Point Chev to Westmere Cycleway is open and safer summer rides to the beach are on! 🚲 🌳 🏊♂️
I really don't think it's a good idea for local councils to impose their own noise standards. This should be something that is set / managed nationally via building codes.
New builds in Dunedin are required to have acoustic insulation performance for 30db to 35db.
Isn’t this another measure to make it harder to build new housing? Wish Council would be as concerned about this as they would be about boyracers in the middle of the night.
www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...
Isn’t this another measure to make it harder to build new housing? Wish Council would be as concerned about this as they would be about boyracers in the middle of the night.
www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...
www.odt.co.nz
December 21, 2024 at 4:12 AM
I really don't think it's a good idea for local councils to impose their own noise standards. This should be something that is set / managed nationally via building codes.
🚨urban economics research siren🚨
This new paper analyses the effects of upzoning in Auckland by first specifying and second estimating an urban economic model.
The results imply upzoning led to:
- a 24% increase in floorspace; and
- a 15 to 27% fall in house prices.
Paper here: t.co/VhlUfIgsTD
This new paper analyses the effects of upzoning in Auckland by first specifying and second estimating an urban economic model.
The results imply upzoning led to:
- a 24% increase in floorspace; and
- a 15 to 27% fall in house prices.
Paper here: t.co/VhlUfIgsTD
December 20, 2024 at 8:38 PM
🚨urban economics research siren🚨
This new paper analyses the effects of upzoning in Auckland by first specifying and second estimating an urban economic model.
The results imply upzoning led to:
- a 24% increase in floorspace; and
- a 15 to 27% fall in house prices.
Paper here: t.co/VhlUfIgsTD
This new paper analyses the effects of upzoning in Auckland by first specifying and second estimating an urban economic model.
The results imply upzoning led to:
- a 24% increase in floorspace; and
- a 15 to 27% fall in house prices.
Paper here: t.co/VhlUfIgsTD
Over on LinkedIn, I've fired shots at some erroneous economic reasoning on the effects of planning regulations.
This sounds nerdy, and it is, but it's also important because we need to understand when and how our planning policies can do harm.
www.linkedin.com/posts/stuart...
This sounds nerdy, and it is, but it's also important because we need to understand when and how our planning policies can do harm.
www.linkedin.com/posts/stuart...
Stuart Donovan on LinkedIn: Reality check
this is a well-intentioned but harmful perspective. Unfortunately, it's also like kool-aid to the planning profession because it makes it seem like our…
www.linkedin.com
December 9, 2024 at 11:57 PM
Over on LinkedIn, I've fired shots at some erroneous economic reasoning on the effects of planning regulations.
This sounds nerdy, and it is, but it's also important because we need to understand when and how our planning policies can do harm.
www.linkedin.com/posts/stuart...
This sounds nerdy, and it is, but it's also important because we need to understand when and how our planning policies can do harm.
www.linkedin.com/posts/stuart...
Reposted by Stu Donovan
Montana's winning housing reform strategy…
Make it easier to build here... to protect there.
Make it easier to build here... to protect there.
December 9, 2024 at 12:02 AM
Montana's winning housing reform strategy…
Make it easier to build here... to protect there.
Make it easier to build here... to protect there.
Reposted by Stu Donovan
I did some field research awhile back to see how the Dutch do bike lanes in industrial areas and—folks—they're better than the shit we have in the city.
December 8, 2024 at 6:51 AM
I did some field research awhile back to see how the Dutch do bike lanes in industrial areas and—folks—they're better than the shit we have in the city.
Reposted by Stu Donovan
Paris definitely wasn’t always this way. This is very recent. It wasn’t magic. It just took vision and leadership. Your city could choose leadership too.
Great pic via @JBPssx
Great pic via @JBPssx
December 9, 2024 at 2:16 AM
Paris definitely wasn’t always this way. This is very recent. It wasn’t magic. It just took vision and leadership. Your city could choose leadership too.
Great pic via @JBPssx
Great pic via @JBPssx
Reposted by Stu Donovan
Horrifying jump in demand for homelessness services being driven by years of unsustainable rent increases. I’m especially worried at half the monthly increase being rough sleepers — which either means precarity has intensified within the homeless cohort or there’s a huge sea of hidden homelessness.
Extra 10,000 Australians becoming homeless each month, up 22% in three years, report says
Almost half were couch surfing or living in short-term accommodation, UNSW and Homelessness Australia say
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2024 at 10:36 PM
Horrifying jump in demand for homelessness services being driven by years of unsustainable rent increases. I’m especially worried at half the monthly increase being rough sleepers — which either means precarity has intensified within the homeless cohort or there’s a huge sea of hidden homelessness.