Hector Blanco
@hectorblanco.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Economics at Rutgers U.
Research: Public, Urban, Housing.
https://hector-blanco.github.io/
Research: Public, Urban, Housing.
https://hector-blanco.github.io/
A caveat of our results is that we focus on **highly localized** effects, where demand effects dominate, while regenerations may still contribute (albeit modestly) to city-wide affordability through broader supply effects. 9/9
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
A caveat of our results is that we focus on **highly localized** effects, where demand effects dominate, while regenerations may still contribute (albeit modestly) to city-wide affordability through broader supply effects. 9/9
Implications:
1️⃣ Conversion to mixed-income housing while preserving the public housing stock can mitigate the negative effects of traditional public housing on neighborhoods
2️⃣ By improving amenities, it can also make housing less affordable in the **very local** vicinity.
8/9
1️⃣ Conversion to mixed-income housing while preserving the public housing stock can mitigate the negative effects of traditional public housing on neighborhoods
2️⃣ By improving amenities, it can also make housing less affordable in the **very local** vicinity.
8/9
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Implications:
1️⃣ Conversion to mixed-income housing while preserving the public housing stock can mitigate the negative effects of traditional public housing on neighborhoods
2️⃣ By improving amenities, it can also make housing less affordable in the **very local** vicinity.
8/9
1️⃣ Conversion to mixed-income housing while preserving the public housing stock can mitigate the negative effects of traditional public housing on neighborhoods
2️⃣ By improving amenities, it can also make housing less affordable in the **very local** vicinity.
8/9
Interestingly, we find that regenerations that add more market-rate housing actually see larger local price increases. This suggests that (in our context) demand effects from incoming higher-income HHs outweigh local supply effects from additional market-rate units. 7/9
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Interestingly, we find that regenerations that add more market-rate housing actually see larger local price increases. This suggests that (in our context) demand effects from incoming higher-income HHs outweigh local supply effects from additional market-rate units. 7/9
Mechanisms:
- Eyesore removal: half of price effects occur within 50m of walking distance.
- Socioeconomic shifts: higher-income HHs move in, no evidence of decrease in low-income HHs
- Crime: drops up to 8% near regenerations, can explain at most 1/3 of price increase
6/9
- Eyesore removal: half of price effects occur within 50m of walking distance.
- Socioeconomic shifts: higher-income HHs move in, no evidence of decrease in low-income HHs
- Crime: drops up to 8% near regenerations, can explain at most 1/3 of price increase
6/9
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Mechanisms:
- Eyesore removal: half of price effects occur within 50m of walking distance.
- Socioeconomic shifts: higher-income HHs move in, no evidence of decrease in low-income HHs
- Crime: drops up to 8% near regenerations, can explain at most 1/3 of price increase
6/9
- Eyesore removal: half of price effects occur within 50m of walking distance.
- Socioeconomic shifts: higher-income HHs move in, no evidence of decrease in low-income HHs
- Crime: drops up to 8% near regenerations, can explain at most 1/3 of price increase
6/9
By comparing housing units near the regenerations to units located farther away, we show that:
- Prices (+14%) & rents (8%) go up substantially within 100m of regenerated estates
- Effects fade with distance and disappear beyond 300m.
5/9
- Prices (+14%) & rents (8%) go up substantially within 100m of regenerated estates
- Effects fade with distance and disappear beyond 300m.
5/9
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
By comparing housing units near the regenerations to units located farther away, we show that:
- Prices (+14%) & rents (8%) go up substantially within 100m of regenerated estates
- Effects fade with distance and disappear beyond 300m.
5/9
- Prices (+14%) & rents (8%) go up substantially within 100m of regenerated estates
- Effects fade with distance and disappear beyond 300m.
5/9
Theory is ambiguous:
- Supply effect: more market-rate housing could lower nearby prices.
- Demand effect: removing an eyesore, attracting higher-income households, and reducing crime could raise them by improving amenities.
4/9
- Supply effect: more market-rate housing could lower nearby prices.
- Demand effect: removing an eyesore, attracting higher-income households, and reducing crime could raise them by improving amenities.
4/9
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Theory is ambiguous:
- Supply effect: more market-rate housing could lower nearby prices.
- Demand effect: removing an eyesore, attracting higher-income households, and reducing crime could raise them by improving amenities.
4/9
- Supply effect: more market-rate housing could lower nearby prices.
- Demand effect: removing an eyesore, attracting higher-income households, and reducing crime could raise them by improving amenities.
4/9
These regenerations on average roughly preserved the number of public housing units but added a similar number of market-rate units on-site (⬆️housing supply).
*Did this approach improve neighborhoods, and what happens to nearby house prices and rents?* 3/9
*Did this approach improve neighborhoods, and what happens to nearby house prices and rents?* 3/9
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
These regenerations on average roughly preserved the number of public housing units but added a similar number of market-rate units on-site (⬆️housing supply).
*Did this approach improve neighborhoods, and what happens to nearby house prices and rents?* 3/9
*Did this approach improve neighborhoods, and what happens to nearby house prices and rents?* 3/9
Like in the US, large public housing "estates" in the UK had been associated with poor conditions, high crime rates, and low housing values.
In response, London started a wave of estate "regenerations” in the 2000s, replacing old estates with new mixed-income developments. 2/9
In response, London started a wave of estate "regenerations” in the 2000s, replacing old estates with new mixed-income developments. 2/9
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Like in the US, large public housing "estates" in the UK had been associated with poor conditions, high crime rates, and low housing values.
In response, London started a wave of estate "regenerations” in the 2000s, replacing old estates with new mixed-income developments. 2/9
In response, London started a wave of estate "regenerations” in the 2000s, replacing old estates with new mixed-income developments. 2/9