The Economics of Zoning, Explained

The Economics of Zoning, Explained

What are zoning laws, how do they work, and what are their economic effects? This explainer is intended to be a guide to the purposes and mechanics of local land-use regulations, including zoning, as well as the economic debates over their effects, especially on the housing market, and how to reform them. 1. What Zoning Is Zoning is a set of laws that regulate how property owners may use their land, in particular by drawing zones where certain u…