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on Urban and Real Estate Economics |
| By: | Chatman, Daniel G.; Rodynansky, Seva; Boarnet, Marlon; Comandon, Andre; Snyder, Breitling; Patel, Kieran; Atkins, Jon |
| Abstract: | Do affordable housing projects in high-quality transit-oriented development areas reduce auto use? By how much? Under what conditions? These questions are complex but highly relevant for the state of California. Its Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program estimates reductions in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) associated with project applications, and scores applications partly on this basis. Building on a large set of existing empirical literature, we carried out a new analysis of how the built environment affects travel in California. We relied on several data sources including movement data from cell phones purchased from a private firm; travel diary data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (the most recent household travel survey for the state); data on housing characteristics and commuting from the 2017 American Housing Survey; and neighborhood, community, and regional built environment and public transportation data from Federal and local sources. Consistent with previous literature, we did not find evidence that parcel-level characteristics influenced auto use, but our study reinforced the evidence in existing empirical literature about the importance of larger-scale built environment factors influencing VMT, from the scale of the Census block group up to the radius of a 45-minute drive from home. We recommend that the AHSC calculator be modified to take these factors into account, in addition to including the availability of off-street parking, when calculating VMT reductions. We also recommend that the calculator use a counterfactual assumption about alternative development locations using our quantitative estimates and based on a more appropriate spatial scale. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2025–08–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt99j4s0bp |
| By: | Kathleen Kürschner Rauck |
| Abstract: | We investigate the link between housing prices and food desert locations at census-tract level using house price index data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency and information on food desert locations from the United States Department of Agriculture. The results from two-way fixed effects regressions suggest that house prices in census tracts classified as food desert are, on average, 2.128 units lower than tracts not classified as such. Robustness tests employing an extended estimation sample corroborate this finding.Inquiries into leading and lagging effects to elucidate causality indicate that food deserts exert a significant impact on real estate, underscoring the importance of food access concerns in urban planning and housing policy design. |
| Keywords: | Food Deserts; House Prices; Urban Planning |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_284 |
| By: | Herbert-Faulkner, Rowland Awadagin PhD; Macfarlane, Jane PhD; Frick, Karen Trapenberg PhD; Walker, Joan PhD |
| Abstract: | This policy brief presents a network analysis method that is accessible to local and regional transportation agencies using Mobiliti, a high-performance traffic simulator currently available for research purposes. However, we demonstrate Mobiliti’s practical applications for transportation agencies. Developed by research scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Mobiliti offers traffic assignment solutions and regional simulation capabilities, allowing for high-resolution, iterative exploration of road treatments and routing strategies. Analysts can manipulate network characteristics and vehicle behavior by adjusting parameters such as lane count, speed limit, and the percentage of vehicles, to dynamically optimize travel times. These capabilities can support transportation equity evaluations by giving network managers deeper insights into the mutual relationships between local and regional traffic dynamics and the resulting social impacts. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–09–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt1bh4k6n5 |
| By: | Peter Deffebach; David Lagakos; Yuhei Miyauchi; Eiji Yamada |
| Abstract: | We study how the spatial distribution of income and commuting patterns within cities vary across the development spectrum, drawing on new granular data from 50, 000 neighborhoods in 121 cities across developed and developing countries. We document that in developing countries, poorer urban households are significantly more likely to live far from city centers, in hilly terrain, and near rivers. These patterns are absent or reversed in developed cities. Commuting shares decline more sharply with distance in less developed countries, indicating higher commuting costs that exacerbate spatial inequality in job access. Job-access measures are considerably worse for the urban poor than for the urban rich in developing countries, while the opposite is true in developed countries. We interpret these findings in a quantitative urban model and show that a parsimonious set of factors—nonhomothetic preferences over amenities, commuting costs, and the spatial concentration of jobs—helps explain most of the cross-country patterns we document. |
| JEL: | O11 R12 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34505 |
| By: | Krzysztof Nowak; Magorzata Snarska |
| Abstract: | The spatial dependencies in commercial real estate markets nowadays have become quite a general knwoledge. However, most of papers based on spatial analysis investigate dependence in prices or rents. The two factros influence capital gains of CRE investments. The third indicator of property investment efficiency is vacancy which reflects market potential risk. Nevertheless, vacancy has not received much spatial analysis research. At the same time it seems to be quite clear that the location of commercial real estate affects prices and rents but also vacancy / occupation of buildings. We verify the impact of charateristics and location effects of office buildings on changes in vacancy in the CEE capital. The study is focused on a use of the spatial econometric methodology to monthly transaction based changes in vacancy in the office market in Warsaw for a period of 2019-2024. |
| Keywords: | office buildings' hedonic features; Office Market; Spatial dependence; vacancy rate |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_274 |
| By: | Baverman, Michelle |
| Abstract: | This study examines the relationship between transit-oriented development (TOD), gentrification, and commuting behavior in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1990 to 2023. TOD has been promoted as a strategy to reduce automobile dependence and greenhouse gas emissions by concentrating housing and jobs near high-quality transit. Critics, however, argue that TOD may accelerate gentrification and displacement, reducing transit ridership if higher-income households replace transit-dependent residents. Using decennial Census data (1990, 2000) and American Community Survey estimates (2010–2023), all standardized to 2010 block group geographies, I constructed a Baseline Vulnerability Index to identify neighborhoods susceptible to gentrification and a Gentrification Change Index to measure shifts in demographic, income, education, and housing over time. These measures were linked to changes in commute mode shares to assess whether neighborhood change near TOD has influenced transit and car commuting. Findings indicate that TOD station areas gentrified more rapidly than other neighborhoods: 34% of vulnerable block groups in station areas gentrified between 1990 and 2019, compared with 26% in one-mile buffer zones and 20% beyond one mile. Gentrifying TOD neighborhoods also demonstrated a disproportionate increase in new transit commuters between 2010 and 2019. However, post-2020 data reveal sharper declines in transit commuting and modest increases in car commuting in gentrifying TODs, reflecting the impact of remote work and differences in how higher- and lower-income households use transit. The results suggest that while TOD-related gentrification may support transit commuting in some contexts, in a post-COVID world, it poses risks for long-term equity outcomes and overall ridership resilience. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Transit oriented development, gentrification, displacement, commuting, mode choice, low income groups, upper income groups |
| Date: | 2025–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt9bt7x4xx |
| By: | Kremer, Anna |
| Abstract: | Meeting others with different backgrounds brings up new ideas. This paper shows that this not only matters for a background in heterogeneous industries or nationalities, but that regional differences matter too. Regions within a country vary in their traditions and culture. Cultural homogeneity within regions becomes mixed due to internal migration, which, like international migration, increases the diversity of a place. In a novel approach, I look at diversity in German municipalities, measured by different family names, and investigate its effect on the number of generated patents. I use a unique dataset from a 1996 phonebook and casualty lists from WWI. There is a positive association between innovation and diversity when defined by the share of new names, a deconcentration measure, or a Shannon index. Causality is established by using instrumental variables estimations with historical borders. I show that intra-country diversity affects patenting positively and conclude that regional differences matter for economic outcomes. |
| Keywords: | cultural diversity, innovation, family names, patents, local level, Germany |
| JEL: | R11 O30 Z13 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:tudcep:333401 |
| By: | Alexander Daminger |
| Abstract: | This paper analyzes the effects of German homeownership subsidies on the intra-city rent structure. Using a large-scale microdata set on German rent offerings, I first construct novel city rent indexes that include various rings around cities’ CBDs. Using triple differences (DDD) frameworks, I then estimate the introduction of the homeownership subsidies’ effects on rent for cities that received varying subsidy rates. The empirical results indicate that subsidies to homeownership lower central apartment rent premiums in those cities, where they give the “biggest bang for the buck”. Consequently, I find that homeownership subsidies contribute to an increase in housing affordability through the price changes in the rental market: an increase in the subsidies leads potential homeowners to move away from the CBD, resulting in a decrease in the rental demand and lowering the rent. |
| Keywords: | Affordability Dynamics; Homeownership Subsidies; Intra-City Rent Structure; Triple Differences Analysis |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_96 |
| By: | Akan, Mert (Stanford University); Barrero, José María (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México Business School); Bloom, Nicholas (Stanford University); Bowen, Tom; Buckman, Shelby Rae (Stanford University); Davis, Steven J. (Hoover Institution); Kim, Hyoseul (Stanford University) |
| Abstract: | We study where Americans live in relation to their employer’s worksite using matched employer-employee data, and how that relationship changes with the rise of work from home (WFH). Mean distance from home to employer’s worksite rose more than 70% between 2019 and 2024 in our dataset. Twelve percent of employees hired after March 2020 reside fifty or more miles from their employer by 2024, triple the pre-pandemic share. Distance to employer rose most for those in their 30s and 40s, among highly paid employees, and in Finance, Information, and Professional Services. Especially for the affluent, the pandemic-instigated rise in WFH initiated a multi-year pattern of net migration to areas with cheaper housing and states with lower tax rates. Finally, we show that distant employees exhibit more sensitivity to firm-level adjustments on hiring and separation margins. These developments have implications for residential location, state-level tax revenues, labor markets, and household welfare. |
| Keywords: | worker migration, housing costs and relocation, taxes and relocation, hires and separations, distance to employer, remote jobs, work from home, geographic extent of labor markets |
| JEL: | J2 J3 R1 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18278 |
| By: | Michael Ball; Paul Cheshire; Christian Hilber; Xiaolun Yu |
| Abstract: | We explore the determinants of the speed with which residential development sites are built-out after construction starts. Based on a new model of developer behaviour in local markets, we use an instrumental variable and fixed effects empirical strategy to analyse a unique dataset of the near universe of the 1996-2015 residential developments in England. We find that positive local demand shocks accelerate building; less so in areas (i) with more restrictive local planning, (ii) that are more built-up, and (iii) where competition is lower. This suggests the slow site build-out rate in England results from both market and policy failures. |
| Keywords: | Construction lag; Housing demand; Housing Supply; Land-use regulatioon |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_100 |
| By: | Acey, Charisma PhD; Lin, Margaretta |
| Abstract: | Top-down transportation planning practices have historically ignored the needs and concerns of low-income communities of color. Federal funding guidelines, agency objectives, regional and local planning processes, and community priorities often conflict with each other at the expense of the health, safety, and livelihood of vulnerable populations. Decades of discriminatory government policies and disinvestment have enabled gentrification, particularly in underserved neighborhoods where new transportation investments make these areas more accessible and attractive to wealthier, often white, residents, which can lead to residential and commercial displacement as public investments increase land values and rents. Mobility justice, which treats mobility as a fundamental human right and promotes a version of transportation planning that incorporates distributive, procedural, and recognition justice, offers an alternative framework. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2025–11–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt2zr0p7r2 |
| By: | Pike, Susan; Affolter, Bailey; Smith, Nina Bonelli; Lipatova, Liubov |
| Abstract: | Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, young people have become a considerable share of public transit users. However, younger representatives of this age group still face many barriers to access transit infrastructure and benefit from its service. This study examines a Youth Cruz Free program launched by the Santa Cruz METRO in March 2023, allowing kids and teenagers of school age to use the service for free. The researchers were interested in understanding how the program has changed the travel behavior of teenagers, whether it encourages adolescents to use the service after they turn 18, and what factors influence their overall ridership of Santa Cruz METRO. To reach both current high school students and recent graduates, the researchers completed two rounds of surveys distributed among high schools in Santa Cruz County. The surveys asked about adolescents’ sociodemographics, the availability of different modes of transportation, school attendance, and other variables that might change patterns in their mobility and encourage/discourage transit adoption. After completing multiple statistical tests, the researchers identified the factors impacting teenagers’ travel behavior. Hispanic/Latinx students were found to ride the METRO more frequently than White students. Students with a driver’s license and students with higher numbers of household vehicles are less likely to use public transportation. Perceptions of safety also correlate significantly with youth ridership. Surprisingly, variables such as gender, job frequency, and the walking distance from the bus stop were not significantly related to bus use frequency. While additional research could aim to better target all riders, including communities of color and those in rural areas, the findings support the growing literature on youth ridership and fare free programs. The results suggest perceptions of safety are worth addressing at a systemic level, and that public transit becomes less desirable once individuals have access to personal vehicles and licenses. View the NCST Project Webpage |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Bus transit, Demographics, Free fares, High school students, Ridership, Surveys, Travel behavior |
| Date: | 2025–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt3qh42308 |
| By: | Herbert-Faulkner, Rowland A. PhD; Macfarlane, Jane PhD; Frick, Karen T. PhD; Walker, Joan L. PhD |
| Abstract: | This report explores how local DOTs can leverage advanced traffic modeling software to narrow the gap between their network management authority and their analytical capacity. Limited computational and analytical capacity among local DOTs has historically made detailed on-demand analytics inaccessible. Using the Mobiliti traffic simulation platform, we examine the City of San José's Safer Streets program to determine the operational and social impacts of the city’s traffic management strategies. We find that imposing a 20 mph speed limit cap on residential streets in San José’s Equity Priority Communities leads to a 39% reduction in passthrough traffic on those streets, but a 76% increase in traffic on streets in the surrounding network. Using this analytical approach, instead of relying on technical assistance from MPOs network managers can more quickly gain quantified insights into the response of network dynamics to localized interventions. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, (Traffic simulations, Advanced traffic management systems, Transportation equity, Speed limits, Traffic volumes, Network analysis (Planning)) |
| Date: | 2025–09–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt3cr711sz |
| By: | Atkins, Jon; Baverman, Michelle; DaCosta, Ameen; Hurtado, Alyssa |
| Abstract: | Oakland, California’s road network contains some of the most dangerous streets in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2022, 36 people died in traffic incidents in the city, with pedestrians and bicyclists making up half of all fatalities. Crashes in Oakland disproportionately occur in the city’s Equity Priority Communities and along its High Injury Network, and across the region, Alameda County has one of the highest rates of pedestrian fatalities. Oakland’s roadways are also home to nearly 100 slip lanes: separated, one-way right-turn lanes designed to improve traffic flow. While slip lanes enable drivers to make smoother and faster turns, they prioritize vehicle speed and efficiency and increase the risk of pedestrian collisions at intersections. This report documents the locations and existing conditions of 94 slip lanes in the City of Oakland. We find that one-third of all slip lanes in Oakland are located along the city’s High Injury Network, with just over half (52%) located in Equity Priority Communities. We then examine the inequitable distribution of safety infrastructure that puts pedestrians, communities of color, seniors, and low-income residents at higher risk of traffic injury. We find that 75% of slip lanes do not have crosswalks, and nearly 90% of slip lanes do not have pedestrian crossing signals. Since 2014, 592 traffic collisions have occurred at intersections with slip lanes, resulting in 806 injuries. We assume the lack of safe pedestrian crossings may be contributing to increased traffic risks and collision outcomes. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2025–02–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt2fc4n5s5 |
| By: | Kristensen, Nicolai (VIVE - The Danish Centre for Applied Social Science) |
| Abstract: | Approximately 7-10% of the population have some degree of dyslexia, and students with this disability are likely to be more dependent on qualified teaching. I analyze this tenet using population-wide Danish administrative records of public schools, where subject teachers are linked over time to classrooms and students, and identification is achieved using a within-school between-class model. I find that qualified teachers improve student outcomes mostly at the bottom of the student skill distribution and that students tested as at-risk of dyslexia in 4th grade make smaller progress in 6th grade vis-à-vis their peers, except for at-risk students from high SES schools who catch up with their peers. Unqualified teaching in combination with low SES schools impedes the ability of dyslexic students to reach their potential, and upholds the inter-generational correlation in education. |
| Keywords: | socioeconomic status, teacher quality, reading ability, dyslexia |
| JEL: | I21 I24 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18279 |
| By: | Freek Holvoet; Christopher Blier-Wong; Katrien Antonio |
| Abstract: | Incorporating spatial information, particularly those influenced by climate, weather, and demographic factors, is crucial for improving underwriting precision and enhancing risk management in insurance. However, spatial data are often unstructured, high-dimensional, and difficult to integrate into predictive models. Embedding methods are needed to convert spatial data into meaningful representations for modelling tasks. We propose a novel multi-view contrastive learning framework for generating spatial embeddings that combine information from multiple spatial data sources. To train the model, we construct a spatial dataset that merges satellite imagery and OpenStreetMap features across Europe. The framework aligns these spatial views with coordinate-based encodings, producing low-dimensional embeddings that capture both spatial structure and contextual similarity. Once trained, the model generates embeddings directly from latitude-longitude pairs, enabling any dataset with coordinates to be enriched with meaningful spatial features without requiring access to the original spatial inputs. In a case study on French real estate prices, we compare models trained on raw coordinates against those using our spatial embeddings as inputs. The embeddings consistently improve predictive accuracy across generalised linear, additive, and boosting models, while providing interpretable spatial effects and demonstrating transferability to unseen regions. |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2511.17954 |
| By: | Choi, Kyuhan; Shi, Ying (Syracuse University); Zhu, Maria (Syracuse University) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines how exposure to disruptive students affects teacher retention using linked teacher-student administrative records from North Carolina. To address non-random classroom assignment, we instrument for classroom exposure using the school-by-grade share of disruptive students based on prior-year disciplinary infractions. A one standard deviation increase in the share of disruptive students raises the probability of a teacher leaving the school in the following year by 1.6 percentage points. We do not find differential effects by teacher characteristics. However, working in a school environment with supportive leadership and greater teacher input into decision-making mitigates the impact of student disruptions. |
| Keywords: | student behavior, teacher turnover |
| JEL: | I29 J45 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18271 |
| By: | Gallegos Torres, Katia; Sommerfeld, Katrin |
| Abstract: | We study how low and medium-skilled refugee immigration affects natives' labor market outcomes. Using individual-level panel data on the German workforce for 2011-2019 and exogenous regional variation from processing authorities' distances, we find that a larger inflow of refugees to a district increases the probability of full-time employment for incumbent workers. Fewer outflows of employment drive this effect. The yearly estimates suggest positive labor demand responses in the short run - in occupations that supply services to the refugees - and positive labor supply effects in the medium run - in manufacturing occupations. Wages, job task composition, and job changes remain unaffected, though positive mobility responses are observed. |
| Keywords: | refugee migration, labor market outcomes, complementarities |
| JEL: | J15 J21 J31 J61 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:333394 |
| By: | Gonzales, Marta C. PhD; Ozturk, Ayse Tugba |
| Abstract: | Despite the years of climate change mitigation effort, per capita transportation emissions are on the rise. Reducing vehicle miles traveled, congestion mitigation and increasing vehicle efficiency are three strategies to reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles. Outcomes of these strategies may contradict each other considering their impacts on the road network and possible behavior changes within the transportation system. Though, models used in policy evaluations do not capture the interplay between vehicle characteristics, travel demand, and urban form. Understanding the spatial and temporal variations in vehicular emissions and the impact of each subsector requires collaboration between two seemingly separate fields: emissions modeling and urban science. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt4dk29637 |
| By: | Roberto Basile (Department of Legal and Economic Studies, Sapienza University of Rome); Cinzia Castagnaro (Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)); Francesca Centofanti (University of Rome "Tor Vergata"); Francesca Licari (Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)) |
| Abstract: | Population aging challenges welfare systems, particularly in rapidly aging countries such as Italy. Using municipality-level data (2002–2023), this paper examines aging dynamics through the Potential Support Ratio (PSR), the ratio of working-age (15–64) to old-age (65+) population. We apply a beta regression framework to analyze spatial convergence and a two-step decomposition to disentangle the contributions of cohort turnover, mortality, and migration. Findings show strong convergence in aging, with international migration partly mitigating demographic imbalance, while internal migration exacerbates it, increasing fragility in peripheral areas. Policy implications highlight the need to strengthen welfare sustainability and regional equity. |
| Keywords: | population aging; migration; potential support ratio; Italy; spatial convergence |
| JEL: | F22 J61 R23 C14 C21 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gfe:pfrp00:00077 |
| By: | Ernests Romanovs (Latvijas Banka); Dzintars Jaunzems (Latvijas Banka) |
| Abstract: | A large portion of the Latvian housing stock is aged and, as a result, quite inefficient pertaining to heating energy consumption. Despite government programmes that subsidize investment in these buildings to improve their heating efficiency, only a small portion of this old housing stock has been retrofitted. This study explores the economic dimension as a possible factor contributing to the low interest in carrying out such renovations. Specifically, the return on investment in retrofitting buildings is analysed by looking at the differences in prices of otherwise similar apartments in renovated and non-renovated buildings. Combining data on renovation projects in Latvia, which were completed in part utilizing EU funds between 2016 and 2023, with the Real Estate Transactions database, containing all property transactions in Latvia, and data from Latvia's Credit Registry, the study shows that apartments in retrofitted buildings cost roughly 11% more than otherwise similar apartments in non-retrofitted buildings. Taking into account the costs and savings related to these renovations already incurred by the sellers, the premium amounts to 10% of an apartment's value. The impact varies across regions, increasing with the quality of the renovation, and is highly contingent on government subsidies. |
| Keywords: | Heating Efficiency Renovations, Housing Market, Net Present Value, Hedonic Regression |
| JEL: | Q56 R32 P18 |
| Date: | 2025–11–27 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ltv:dpaper:202503 |
| By: | Eran B. Hoffmann; Monika Piazzesi; Martin Schneider |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the connection between regional growth trends and labor market dynamics. New data on manufacturing worker flows for U.S. cities 1969-1981 show more new hires and more voluntary quits in growing cities, but more forced layoffs in shrinking cities. Recessions are special in growing cities in that hires and quits drop, whereas in shrinking cities layoffs rise. A quantitative business cycle model with migration and on-the-job search accounts for a large share of variation in growth and worker flows both over time and across space. Growing cities in the South and West had low job creation costs and only gradual in-migration, so tight labor markets encouraged more on-the-job search. In those cities, aggregate job destruction shocks generated recessions with lower labor market churn. In the shrinking cities of the Rust Belt, in contrast, churn was always low and responded little in recessions. |
| JEL: | E30 E32 J62 J63 J64 R11 R12 R13 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34515 |
| By: | Aakash Bhalothia; Gavin Engelstad; Gaurav Khanna; Harrison Mitchell |
| Abstract: | We estimate the economic value of cities worldwide, using detailed job histories for 513 million workers in 220, 000 cities across 191 countries. These estimates allow us to identify why some cities are more productive than others and to quantify the earnings gains from migration throughout the development process. Our data contain job spells—with start and end dates, establishment names, locations, job titles, and effective salaries—enabling an event-study movers design with individual and time fixed effects. Moving to higher-value cities leads to immediate increases in job seniority, shifts into better-paid industries and occupations, and large overall earnings gains. The global scope of the data lets us compare internal and international moves and assess how the productivity advantages of cities differ by country income level. Across borders, 93% of wage changes reflect city effects, while within countries this share ranges from 45–73%. High-income countries exhibit stronger ability-based sorting, reducing the proportion attributable to place. City effects rise with industrial diversity and population, consistent with agglomeration economies, and more productive cities allocate workers to higher-productivity firms. The wide dispersion of city effects within countries highlights substantial potential gains from migration, particularly in low-income, less-urbanized economies. Reallocating workers to match the US distribution yields sizable wage gains in developing countries. |
| JEL: | J38 J6 O15 R12 R23 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34503 |
| By: | Steven W. Popper (Center for Research in Decision Sciences, School of Government and Public Transformation, Tecnológico de Monterrey); Jose Antonio Torre (Center for the Future of Cities, Tecnológico de Monterrey); Eduardo Armando (Center for the Future of Cities, Tecnológico de Monterrey); Roberto Ponce Lopez (Center for the Future of Cities, Tecnológico de Monterrey) |
| Abstract: | This report examines the growing challenge of providing adequate and affordable housing in Metropolitan Monterrey, a region whose economic dynamism and sustained demographic growth have intensified long-standing pressures on housing supply. The complexity of this issue, shaped by multiple actors, institutions, interests and interdependent systems, characterizes it as a “wicked problem” for public policy—one with unclear boundaries, unpredictable outcomes, and no definitive solutions. To explore potential pathways for long-term action, the study summarizes the results of a two-day participatory foresight workshop designed to initiate a regional, multi-stakeholder deliberative process. The objective was to collectively envision possible futures for housing in 2040 and to identify strategic directions for moving toward those futures. Although focused on Metropolitan Monterrey, the findings illustrate challenges that are emblematic of urban housing dilemmas across Mexico and other global contexts confronting increasingly complex policy problems. |
| Keywords: | Housing policy, Affordable housing, Wicked problems, Urban governance |
| JEL: | R31 R20 H70 O21 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gnt:wpaper:16 |
| By: | Santiago Cueto; Diether W. Beuermann; Julian Cristia; Ofer Malamud; Francisco Pardo |
| Abstract: | This paper examines a large-scale randomized evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program in 531 Peruvian rural primary schools. We use administrative data on academic performance and grade progression over 10 years to estimate the long-run effects of increased computer access on (i) school performance over time and (ii) students’ educational trajectories. Following schools over time, we find no significant effects on academic performance but some evidence of negative effects on grade progression. Following students over time, we find no significant effects on primary and secondary completion, academic performance in secondary school, or university enrollment. Survey data indicate that computer access significantly improved students’ computer skills but not their cognitive skills; treated teachers received some training but did not improve their digital skills and showed limited use of technology in classrooms, suggesting the need for additional pedagogical support. |
| JEL: | I21 I25 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34495 |
| By: | Carlo von der Osten; Sabrina Aufiero; Pierpaolo Vivo; Fabio Caccioli; Silvia Bartolucci |
| Abstract: | Debt recycling is a leveraged equity management strategy in which homeowners use accumulated home equity to finance investments, applying the resulting returns to accelerate mortgage repayment. We propose a novel framework to model equity and mortgage dynamics in presence of mortgage interest rates, borrowing costs on equity-backed credit lines, and tax shields arising from interest deductibility. The model is calibrated on three jurisdictions -- Australia, Germany, and Switzerland -- representing diverse interest rate environments and fiscal regimes. Results demonstrate that introducing positive interest rates without tax shields contracts success regions and lengthens repayment times, while tax shields partially reverse these effects by reducing effective borrowing costs and adding equity boosts from mortgage interest deductibility. Country-specific outcomes vary systematically, and rental properties consistently outperform owner-occupied housing due to mortgage interest deductibility provisions. |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2511.18614 |
| By: | Kalmbach, Aino |
| Abstract: | Abstract The share of qualified early childhood education teachers has declined even as the total number of teachers has increased. This reflects the fact that the number of qualified teachers has not grown at the same pace as the teacher workforce overall. Demand has been driven by rising participation rates. There are clear regional differences: in many areas the decline in the share of qualified teachers has been modest and the number of qualified teachers has continued to increase, but in some regions, particularly Uusimaa, the number of qualified teachers has fallen and shortages have worsened. This report examines regional differences in the demand and supply of teachers and assesses how early childhood teachers’ wages relative to regional average earnings are associated with the extent of teacher shortages. The analysis covers the years 2010–2022, during which teaching qualifications could be obtained through both university and university of applied sciences degrees. Qualification requirements have since changed, and the expansion of study places is increasing the number of graduates. From 2030 onwards the need for tertiary-educated staff will grow as a result of the new qualification requirements. |
| Keywords: | Early childhood education, Participation rate, Regional labor markets, Teacher shortage, Public sector labor markets |
| JEL: | J13 J45 R23 |
| Date: | 2025–12–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rif:report:169 |
| By: | Wilhelm Breuer; Carolina Klingbeil |
| Abstract: | The paper deals with the state of acceptance of blockchain within the real estate industry, the opportunities and risks for different market participants, and which obstacles play a role in implementation and how these could be eliminated. The paper therefore asks especially the following questions: 1. What opportunities and risks does the use of blockchain harbour? 2. What obstacles play a role in the implementation and how far has the acceptance of blockchain advanced? In order to investigate these questions, a quantitative method in the form of a survey is used, as this shows the current mood based on a representative sample size, which is intended to reflect the real estate industry. This allows causal relationships between the acceptance of blockchain by companies and factors that influence its use in the property industry to be uncovered. |
| Keywords: | blockchain; Germany |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_105 |
| By: | Fernández-Bonilla, Fernando; Ruíz-Rúa, Aurora; Gijón, Covadonga; Martínez de Ibarreta Zorita, Carlos |
| Abstract: | Touristic mobility is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly due to the dominance of private vehicle. This study explores the determinants of sustainable transport choices among domestic tourists in Spain, focusing on how individual, territorial, and digital factors influence the adoption of public and low-emission transport modes. Using the Resident Tourism Survey (INE, 2016–2024), we estimate logistic and ordered regression models that incorporate sociodemographic variables, trip characteristics, and e-tourism indicators. Results reveal a strong association between digital planning and sustainable modal choice, particularly in urban and coastal destinations. Additionally, cultural and educational travel activities are more likely to be linked to public transport use, while leisure activities show a higher dependence on private modes. Socioeconomic factors like income, education, and age also significantly affect transport behaviour. This research highlights the need for territorialised, integrated policies to promote sustainable mobility in tourism, especially in rural areas. Enhancing digitalisation, improving public transport access, and tailoring strategies to specific regional and profiles are key to enabling a greener transition in tourism mobility. |
| Keywords: | e-Tourism, Rural, e-Mobility, Sustainability, Logit Model |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:itse25:331268 |
| By: | Roberto Basile (Department of Legal and Economic Studies, Sapienza University of Rome); Francesca Licari (Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)); Francesca Centofanti (University of Rome "Tor Vergata"); Cinzia Castagnaro (Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)); Elena Ambrosetti (Department of Methods and Models for Economics, Territory and Finance, Sapienza University of Rome) |
| Abstract: | This paper provides new evidence on the brain drain in Italy. Building on the framework proposed by Becker, Ichino, and Peri (2004), we measure brain drain through a comprehensive set of indicators. Unlike previous studies, we account for return migration — not just emigration — of Italians and assess brain drain as the net loss of human capital. We also explore the interplay between international and internal migration, with particular attention to the outflow of high-skilled workers from Southern to Northern Italy. The findings show that, over the period 2013–2023, the migration of highly qualified youth from the South to the North more than offset the international brain drain affecting the North, while significantly deepening the human capital depletion in the South. Finally, we exploit new data on the educational attainment of foreign immigrants, assessing their contribution to the dynamics of human capital at both national and regional level. |
| Keywords: | Brain drain; Italian migration; Mezzogiorno; internal migration; human capital |
| JEL: | J24 F22 R23 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gfe:pfrp00:00076 |
| By: | Blodgett, Kyler |
| Abstract: | This research brief offers an early analysis of California’s rollout of speed safety camera pilot programs under Assembly Bill 645 (AB 645). No California city has ever had an automated speed camera program before Spring 2025. Documenting the program set-up and early administration experience of the pilot cities will be informative in advancing road safety efforts if speed cameras become more widespread across the state. After examining research on speed camera effectiveness and best practices based on a review of national programs, the brief focuses on Oakland and San Francisco. Drawing on interviews with city staff, the brief evaluates how well California’s approach aligns with best practices in effectiveness and equity. It finds that AB 645 incorporated many instructive learnings from elsewhere, including income-based fine reductions and data-driven site selection. It also identifies areas for further improvement such as public transparency, alternatives to monetary penalties, approach to infrastructure investments, and enforcement challenges. The brief concludes that, depending on program improvements in these areas, speed safety cameras could become a valuable tool in California’s efforts to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities without exacerbating social inequities. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, speed camera, California, AB 645, traffic safety, Oakland, San Francisco |
| Date: | 2025–04–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt98r16803 |
| By: | Bhuiya, Md Musfiqur Rahman; Barajas, Jesus M. PhD; Venkataram, Prashanth S. PhD |
| Abstract: | Traffic safety remains a pressing concern in California. Over the past five years, the state has averaged more than 3, 751 reported traffic fatalities annually, with likely more unreported. While policies and research often focus on crash prevention and severity reduction, less is known about how collisions affect individuals’ travel behavior and perceptions of road safety. To better understand these effects, we conducted interviews and focus groups with people who had direct or indirect experience with traffic collisions and near misses. We also spoke with professionals who support collision victims, such as physicians, therapists, faith leaders, and advocacy groups representatives. Discussions focused on perceptions of road safety, transportation mode choices, and travel behavior of someone involved in a traffic collision or near miss before and after the incident. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2025–09–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt3dh2s5gj |
| By: | Jenn, Alan PhD |
| Abstract: | This report examines the differences in what drivers would pay with a gasoline tax versus a revenue-neutral road user charge (RUC) and whether these differences are equitably distributed among rural vs. urban and disadvantaged vs. non-disadvantaged communities. The analysis uses vehicle registration data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, vehicle attribute data from DataOne, and environmental and socioeconomic indicators from CalEnviroScreen. On average, a transition from a gas tax to an RUC would cause drivers in rural areas to pay less per mile and drivers in urban areas to pay more. This difference arises because vehicles registered in rural areas tend to have lower fuel efficiency than those in urban areas. However, the transition from gas tax to RUC would have a similar impact on average cost per mile for vehicles registered in disadvantaged communities (defined as the top 10% of census tracts in CalEnviroScreen) as in other communities.. This study indicates that RUCs are marginally less regressive than gas taxes. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Mileage-based user fees, Fuel taxes, Transportation equity, Rural areas, Underserved communities |
| Date: | 2025–11–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt9375t56r |
| By: | Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt; Hans R. A. Koster; Tu Giang Vu; Gabriel Ahlfeldt |
| Abstract: | Property transaction prices are widely regarded as the best measure of property value, but are sometimes unavailable. Using data from the Netherlands and New York, we analyze whether list prices and assessed values are reliable substitutes. In the cross-section, both proxies strongly predict sales prices, and estimated hedonic implicit prices resemble those based on sales prices. Over time, there is a sluggish adjustment in both proxies, but much more so in assessed values - particularly when they are based on rental incomes. While assessed values are well-suited for cross-sectional hedonic modelling or the quantification of static quantitative spatial models, list prices are better suited for the estimation of hedonic implicit prices from variation over time, although some attenuation bias should be expected. |
| Keywords: | assessed values, list prices, sales prices, transaction prices, hedonic pricing, historic amenities, wind turbines, transit accessibility |
| JEL: | R31 C21 C23 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12290 |
| By: | Hassan Gholipour Fereidouni |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and house prices in a sample of OECD economies over the period 2012–2023. Using panel fixed effects and the generalized method of moments (GMM) regressions, while controlling for key macroeconomic determinants of house prices, we find that house prices grow more slowly in economies with stronger AML regulations. The findings also show that when AML regulations are complemented by higher property taxes and stricter restrictions on foreign investment in real estate, their impact on house prices becomes more significant. |
| Keywords: | foreign investment; House Prices; money laundering; property tax |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_120 |
| By: | Harold, Brian; Rodier, Caroline PhD; Sanguinetti, Angela PhD; D'Agostino, Mollie C. |
| Abstract: | Many Californians face “transportation poverty”–a lack of reliable, efficient, safe, and affordable ways to get to jobs, school, shopping, and medical appointments. Universal Basic Mobility (UBM) programs aim to close this gap. One approach is providing income-qualified individuals with mobility wallets (e.g., prepaid debit cards) used to cover costs for a range of transportation services and options, such as shared mobility and transit services. The range of transportation choices available to mobility wallet participants often helps reduce reliance on personal vehicles while supporting cleaner, lower-carbon travel. To understand how these programs work in practice, we evaluated UBM pilots in four California cities– Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Oakland, and Stockton–and reviewed similar efforts across the country. Our research highlights design features, challenges, outcomes that matter most for agencies and policymakers considering this new tool for addressing transportation barriers. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| Date: | 2025–11–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt0ts6g50w |
| By: | Stanislav Avdeev |
| Abstract: | This paper provides the first evidence on the impact of exposure to international students on the long-term outcomes of native students. I combine unique survey and administrative data from the Netherlands covering one million students across three decades and employ an across-cohort design. I find that exposure to international students leads natives to (i) form social ties with non-natives, (ii) hold more positive attitudes towards migration and learning about other cultures, and (iii) seek opportunities abroad. Notably, I find precisely estimated zero effects on employment, income, entrepreneurship, and the share of international co-workers up to 25 years after university entry. |
| Keywords: | contact hypothesis, domestic students, foreign students, higher education, labor market, mobility, networks, peer effects, emigration |
| JEL: | F22 I23 J24 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12283 |
| By: | Jorge A. Arroyo |
| Abstract: | I study how first sizable industry entries reshape local and neighboring labor markets in Puerto Rico. Using over a decade of quarterly municipality--industry data (2014Q1--2025Q1), I identify ``first sizable entries'' as large, persistent jumps in establishments, covered employment, and wage bill, and treat these as shocks to local industry presence at the municipio--industry level. Methodologically, I combine staggered-adoption difference-in-differences estimators that are robust to heterogeneous treatment timing with an imputation-based event-study approach, and I use a doubly robust difference-in-differences framework that explicitly allows for interference through pre-specified exposure mappings on a contiguity graph. The estimates show large and persistent direct gains in covered employment and wage bill in the treated municipality--industry cells over 0--16 quarters. Same-industry neighbors experience sizable short-run gains that reverse over the medium run, while within-municipality cross-industry and neighbor all-industries spillovers are small and imprecisely estimated. Once these spillovers are taken into account and spatially robust inference and sensitivity checks are applied, the net regional 0--16 quarter effect on covered employment is positive but modest in magnitude and estimated with considerable uncertainty. The results imply that first sizable entries generate substantial local gains where they occur, but much smaller and less precisely measured net employment gains for the broader regional economy, highlighting the importance of accounting for spatial spillovers when evaluating place-based policies. |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2511.19469 |
| By: | Fixler, Noelani; Ekunno, Melie |
| Abstract: | While recent California legislative reforms grant jurisdictions greater flexibility to lower speed limits, evidence suggests that reductions in posted speed limits alone are insufficient to meaningfully reduce crash severity. This research brief examines how speed limit reductions, when paired with infrastructure design, enforcement strategies, and contextual land-use planning, can more effectively lower FSI outcomes. Aligned with the Safe System Approach, the countermeasure layers of roadway geometry, lighting, bicycle-specific infrastructure, and enforcement shape driver behavior and protect vulnerable road users. This approach provides a pathway for communities to advance vulnerable road user safety by reducing speeds through a holistic approach. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, speed limit, fatal and serious injury, California, crashes |
| Date: | 2025–07–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt38b4b3p6 |
| By: | Claire Xiaoying Deng |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we investigate the impact and behavior of socially responsible investment (SRI) funds in public and private real estate markets. Recent studies offer mixed evidence on the role of socially responsible funds in firm activities. However, little is known about the real impact of socially responsible funds in real estate industry and impact of the green shift on capital raising, our project fills the gap. The impact of this work points to important future directions for accessing capital and has implications for private and public investors, developers, and property managers. |
| Keywords: | Capital Raising; Green Properties; REITs; Socially Responsible Investing |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_196 |
| By: | Alain Coen; Philippe Guardiola |
| Abstract: | The main objective of this article is to investigate the impact of monetary policies led by the Bank of England, the ECB and the Fed on the dynamics of British commercial real estate markets between 2000 and 2023, using vector autoregression and structural vector autoregression (SVAR) models. With our modelling, we also shed new light on the role played by the stock market and REITs as transmission channels. Our results report that monetary policies have a highly significant impact on eight British commercial real estate sectors, with different implications. As an illustration of financialization, REITs seem to be a transmission channel for all asset classes. However, Brexit appears to mark a major turning point as the BoE and BCE monetary policies effects drop sharply after 2016. |
| Keywords: | commercial real estate; Monetary policies; REIT; SVAR |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_56 |
| By: | Acey, Charisma PhD; Lin, Margaretta; Pinigis, Alex; Lindheim, Dan PhD; Herbert-Faulkner, Roland Awadagin PhD |
| Abstract: | Top-down transportation planning practices have historically ignored the needs and concerns of low-income communities of color, which can lead to residential and commercial displacement as public investments increase land values and rents. The concept of mobility justice centers the needs of communities that have historically been excluded from transportation planning decisions. We partnered with community groups to examine two transportation planning projects in the Bay Area using collaborative research methods. The first was a retrospective analysis of the East Bay Bus Rapid Transit project in East Oakland that reflects the harms of top-down planning. The second study examined the City of Richmond’s Transformative Climate Communities projects, a more collaborative approach to planning with low-income communities involved at every stage. We find that the top-down planning model employed in the East Oakland case study resulted in significant health, safety, and displacement impacts that could have been avoided. The Richmond case study shows project changes occurring as a direct result of using mobility justice principles. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Transportation planning, Transportation equity, Underserved communities, Low income groups, Sustainable transportation, Public health |
| Date: | 2025–11–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt5154d2hd |
| By: | Kjetil Bjorvatn (NHH); Selim Gulesci (Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin); Arne Nasgowitz (NHH); Vincent Somville (NHH); Lore Vandewalle (KU Leuven) |
| Abstract: | Can increased parental engagement in education improve children's schooling and learn- ing outcomes in low-income countries? We present experimental evidence from Uganda where mothers of primary school students were randomly offered educational materials and an action plan aligned with the school curriculum in order to support their children's homework. The intervention increased the amount of time mothers spent studying with their children. It also improved children’s likelihood to register for their end-of-term school exams which require households to pay a registration fee. Despite these improvements in parental engagement, we find no impact on children's performance in standardized tests. Our findings underscore both the promise and the limits of parental engagement, pointing to the need for complementary strategies to improve children’s learning. |
| Keywords: | Education; Parental engagement; Schooling; Learning |
| JEL: | I21 J13 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tcd:tcduee:tep1925 |
| By: | UC Berkeley SafeTREC |
| Abstract: | In the summer of 2025, the UC Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) conducted a Needs Assessment to explore the need for, and interest in, a program to support and nurture California communities’ road safety work to align with an effective Safe System Approach. As part of the Assessment, interviews and surveys were conducted, finding strong interest in such assistance, particularly for peer learning, leadership support opportunities, and more concrete examples of successes to inform individual communities’ work. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Safe System Approach, road safety, traffic deaths, needs assessment |
| Date: | 2025–09–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt37b6g9wt |
| By: | Larysa Minzyuk (Ufficio Parlamentare di Bilancio); Rosaria Vega Pansini (Ufficio Parlamentare di Bilancio); Francesco Vidoli (Department of Economics, Society & Politics, Università di Urbino Carlo Bo) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the determinants of local tax compliance focusing on Italy’s municipal waste tax (TARI). Despite the 2012 fiscal federalism reform that expanded local autonomy, fiscal evasion rates remain high and not homogeneous across territories. Using a balanced panel of 6, 846 municipalities over 2017-2023, we apply a dynamic panel approach to account for endogeneity, persistence, and unobserved heterogeneity in tax collection behaviour. The results show that civic engagement significantly enhances compliance, while generalized trust exerts a negative effect, suggesting that exclusive social ties may undermine fiscal responsibility. These findings highlight the behavioural foundations of local tax performance and indicate that fiscal autonomy alone is insufficient to foster compliance without supportive social capital. To assess whether these relationships are spatially homogeneous, we extend the analysis by implementing a local System GMM estimation, which reveals substantial regional heterogeneity and underscores the spatially contingent nature of fiscal behaviour. These results call for spatially tailored fiscal policies that integrate institutional capacity with the social foundations of compliance. |
| Keywords: | Tax compliance, Fiscal federalism, Local taxation, Social capital, Municipal finance, System GMM |
| JEL: | C23 H26 H71 H77 Z13 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:urb:wpaper:25_02 |
| By: | Ekunno, Melie; Gorostieta, Lilette; Leckie, Kris |
| Abstract: | Bicycling provides youth with mobility, independence, and opportunities for physical activity, but head injuries remain a leading risk of biking-related crashes. Helmets are among the most effective tools for preventing serious injury, yet rates of consistent use among children and adolescents remain low and unevenly distributed across demographic groups. This paper reviews evidence on the social, cultural, and structural factors shaping helmet use and examines the role of school-based programs in promoting safer biking practices. Findings indicate that free and subsidized helmet distribution reduces access barriers but requires reinforcement through education and community engagement to sustain long-term use. Safe Routes to School initiatives improve safety and normalize active transportation, while educational campaigns influence knowledge, attitudes, and peer norms, particularly when combined with parental involvement. Equity concerns, including affordability, enforcement, and cultural compatibility, remain central to program design. Overall, the evidence highlights the need for integrated, equity-focused, and sustainable approaches to increase helmet adoption and reduce preventable injuries among young bicyclists. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, head injuries, helmet, cycling, Safe Routes to School |
| Date: | 2025–07–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt4489j561 |
| By: | Ferguson, Beth; Blandino, Jordan Scott |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the evolution of shared micromobility vehicle design and safety practices in the San Francisco Bay Area from 2017 to 2024. Shared micromobility includes e-bikes and e-scooters. Stakeholder interviews revealed that limited protected bike lanes, poorly designed or neglected e-bike and e-scooter fleets, deteriorating road infrastructure, and unsafe rider behavior have impeded the widespread adoption of shared micromobility in urban areas. There is a pressing need for consistent design standards for lighting, battery charging, braking systems, vehicle frames, and wheel sizing to further improve safety and vehicle durability. Recommendations include expanding protected bike lanes, improving road maintenance, offering e-bike riding lessons, promoting helmet use, and encouraging substance-free riding. Enhancing vehicle security and implementing battery safety protocols are also critical for improving charging accessibility and reducing theft and fire risks. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Shared mobility, Micromobility, Electric bicycles, Scooters, Electric vehicles, Traffic safety, Bicycle facilities, Batteries, Interviews |
| Date: | 2025–10–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt1nb7s2jn |
| By: | Tom Pitts; Daniel Dabara |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the utilization of brownfield land registers and the potential of brownfield land for urban regeneration in the UK, focusing on Central London to address housing shortages. Using a constructivist qualitative research design, the study engaged 31 participants and employed a three-stage data analysis process. The findings reveal significant underutilization of brownfield land, highlighting ""politics and planning"" as key barriers. The study emphasizes the need for policymakers to collaborate with industry stakeholders, update brownfield land registers more frequently, and address identified constraints to enhance the effective utilization of brownfield land, offering valuable insights for global urban regeneration efforts. |
| Keywords: | Brownfield land; brownfield registers; Contamination; Regeneration |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_206 |
| By: | Francesco Fasani (University of Milan, CEPR, CReAM, RF-Berlin and IZA); Simone Ferro (University of Milan); Alessio Romarri (Department of Applied Economics, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, IEB and RF-Berlin); Elisabetta Pasini (Alma Economics) |
| Abstract: | This paper provides the first causal evaluation of the political impact of asylum seekers in the UK. Although they are dispersed across areas on a no-choice basis, political bargaining between central and local governments introduces potential endogeneity in their allocation. We address this concern with a novel IV strategy that exploits predetermined public-housing characteristics. Focusing on 2004-2019, we estimate a sizeable increase in the Conservative-Labour vote share gap in local elections: a one within-area standard deviation increase in dispersed asylum seekers widens the gap by 3.1 percentage points in favour of the Conservatives. We observe a similar shift to the right in national elections and longitudinal survey data on voting intentions, along with an increase in the Leave vote in the Brexit referendum. Electoral gains are observed for UKIP as well, although this finding is less robust. No effect is detected for non-dispersed asylum seekers, who forgo subsidised housing and make independent residential choices. Turning to mechanisms, voters move to the right without becoming more hostile towards foreigners. Leveraging the universe of MPs' speeches, we show that representatives from more exposed areas emphasise asylum and migration more, with no systematic change in tone or content. This heightened salience appears to shape voters' choices, with Conservative MPs particularly effective at channelling discontent. |
| Keywords: | Refugees; Elections; Brexit; MP speeches. |
| Date: | 2025–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uab:wprdea:wpdea2520 |
| By: | Steren, Aviv PhD; Tal, Gil PhD; Robinson, Anya R. |
| Abstract: | Class 2b-3 vehicles, bridging the gap between light-duty and heavy-duty trucks, represent a critical yet underexplored segment in California’s decarbonization efforts. These medium-duty vehicles, weighing 8, 501-14, 000 lbs., play diverse roles across personal and commercial sectors but remain behind in electrification compared to other vehicle classes. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of Class 2b-3 vehicle ownership, usage patterns, and electrification potential in California, leveraging county-level registration data, household and commercial vehicle surveys, and qualitative interviews. Findings reveal significant geographic, socio-economic, and operational disparities: rural and lower-income counties exhibit higher concentrations of Class 2b-3 vehicles, while electric vehicle (EV) adoption – driven mainly by lighter vehicle classes – remains concentrated in urban, high-income areas. Commercial vehicles in this class demonstrate higher mileage and lower fuel efficiency than standard commercial vehicles, amplifying their emissions impact. Despite these challenges, policy initiatives such as California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) and emerging vehicle technologies signal pathways for electrification. However, barriers persist, including high upfront costs, range requirements, and infrastructure gaps. The study indicates that targeted interventions, especially in rural areas, and flexible technology solutions are essential to accelerate electrification and ensure equitable clean transportation access across California. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Decarbonization, Electric vehicles, Medium trucks, Vehicle range, Commercial vehicles, Technology adoption, Rural areas, Transportation equity |
| Date: | 2025–11–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt4gc0j900 |
| By: | Dunn , Richard A.; Babkin, Anton; Sandler, Austin; Curtis, Katherine; Adamson , Clayton; Peters, Sara |
| Abstract: | The economies of rural America continue to lag those in metropolitan areas with many experiencing significant hardship, but there is increasing agreement among researchers and policymakers that existing place typologies are inadequate for addressing urban-rural disparities. Because these typologies emphasize the urban end of the rural-urban continuum with rural treated as the undifferentiated residual category, the complex interaction of economic, demographic, and social factors that define rural places are ignored. To address this challenge, we have developed a data-driven approach to identify connections between places based on the spatial distribution of potential supply chain linkages to generate a new typology–Economic Catchment Areas (ECAs) thereby illuminating place-to-place connections obscured in existing place hierarchies. To do so, we construct county-to-county potential trade flows in intermediate inputs as the solution to a transportation distance loss function. Counties that would serve as the most important user of inputs for at least one other county are classified as destinations of an ECA, while all the counties for which the destination would be the largest user of their inputs are the sources of the ECA. For rural source counties, we then estimate the relationship between business, economic, demographic, and health outcomes in ECA destination counties and outcomes in their associated source counties. We find that these are positively related, highlighting the potential usefulness of the ECA framework for studying heterogeneity in economic and demographic outcomes among rural U.S. counties. |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, International Relations/Trade |
| Date: | 2024–07–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea24:347606 |
| By: | Haas, Violeta I.; Elshehawy, Ashrakat; Frey, Arun; Riaz, Sascha; Roemer, Tobias |
| Abstract: | What drives the supply of crime news? While prior research focuses on the news media, we study a crucial upstream gatekeeper of information: the police. We argue that the police act as strategic bureaucrats who increase the disclosure of out-group cues (ethnicity, nationality) when immigration is salient to signal competence and transparency to the public. To test this, we use LLMs to annotate a novel dataset of about one million press releases published by local police stations across Germany between 2014 and 2024. Using a regression discontinuity in time design, we demonstrate an increase in out-group cues in police communications (1) following a nationwide shock to immigration salience (the 2015/16 Cologne New Year’s Eve assaults), and (2) in the days before regional elections in which immigration is a salient campaign issue. Our findings demonstrate how bureaucratic discretion shapes the supply of politically charged information. |
| Keywords: | bureaucratic politics; immigration; large language models, natural language processing, police |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tse:wpaper:131173 |
| By: | Yanina Domenella (CEMFI, Centro de Estudios Monetarios y Financieros) |
| Abstract: | In this paper, I examine the impact of administrative delays in obtaining Spanish nationality on the long-term labor market outcomes of legal immigrants. Using Social Security data from 2006 to 2019 and an instrumental variable strategy, I find that longer delays in nationality acquisition result in significantly lower accumulated earnings over a ten-year period, driven by both lower wages and fewer days worked. Specifically, one additional year of delay reduces accumulated earnings over 10 years by 3.8 to 6.7 percent. To understand the underlying mechanisms, I study the short-term effects of nationality acquisition on job mobility and job quality. The results suggest that delays prolong the period of restricted mobility, hindering access to better employment opportunities. After obtaining the nationality, immigrants can afford a more selective and longer job search that pays off in the long run. These findings underscore the importance of timely nationality acquisition for improving economic outcomes and highlight the need for efficient administrative processes to support immigrant integration. |
| Keywords: | Nationality acquisition, administrative delays, immigration policy, labormarket outcomes, job mobility, Spain. |
| JEL: | F22 J61 J62 K37 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cmf:wpaper:wp2025_2527 |
| By: | Robinson, Anya; Konstantinou, Theodora PhD; Tal, Gil PhD |
| Abstract: | Little is known about plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) ownership, charging behavior, and vehicle characteristics in rural California. As the state works toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2045, understanding the current state of PEV adoption in rural areas is essential for identifying where targeted support may be needed to meet electrification objectives. Existing definitions of “rural” may also obscure important variation within these regions. This study proposes a passenger-vehicle-based classification of rural areas in the state using k-means clustering, incorporating data on land use, travel behavior, vehicle characteristics, and housing attributes. Five distinct clusters were identified, three of which - Rural Remote, Farm Rural, and Small Town - were classified as rural. Survey data from PEV and conventional vehicle (CV) owners were analyzed to compare sociodemographic characteristics, vehicle attributes, and charging access and behavior. Across all clusters, PEVs were newer and generally smaller than CVs. The Rural Remote cluster exhibited the highest rural PEV adoption rates (1.4% BEVs, 1.0% PHEVs), along with higher household income, education, and Level 2 home charging prevalence. Farm Rural and Small Town clusters had lower adoption rates and relied more heavily on Level 1 charging, despite comparable at-home charging frequency. Public charging access per capita was lowest in Rural Remote areas and highest in Small Town clusters across rural areas. These findings indicate that rural California is heterogeneous with respect to PEV ownership and future adoption potential. Policies that account for demographic, infrastructural, and travel behavior differences between rural subtypes may be more effective than uniform approaches in supporting adoption. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, Rural areas, Electric vehicles, Electric vehicle charging, Automobile ownership, Demographics, Cluster analysis |
| Date: | 2025–09–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt2kk0g5w1 |
| By: | Heriaud Bastien; Joossens Elisabeth (European Commission - JRC); Le Blanc Julia (European Commission - JRC) |
| Abstract: | "This report presents the Regional Resilience Dashboard (RRDB) as an analytical tool for assessing and monitoring resilience at the regional level within the European Union. Building on the Commission’s Resilience Dashboards (RDB), the RRDB provides a comprehensive overview of regional vulnerabilities and capacities across various dimensions, including economic, social, and environmental aspects, covering 242 NUTS2 regions.The primary objective of the dashboard is to support regions in conducting structured self-assessments and informing policy formulation, thereby enabling the identification of priority needs and strategic interventions to strengthen resilience. The report highlights the critical role of region-specific characteristics, such as geographic location in shaping regional resilience and provides evidence on how regional resilience has evolved over time." |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc141991 |
| By: | Rodríguez Pita, María del Pilar |
| Abstract: | This study develops two composite indices to evaluate digitalization and sustainability across European NUTS-2 regions using Eurostat and OCDE data. Employing PCA analysis we construct a Regional Digitalization Index and a Regional Sustainable Development Index, applying k-means clustering to identify typologies. Results reveal a strong positive correlation between digital infrastructure and SDG performance, with clusters of high-performing "leaders" localized in the northerns and western regions and low-performers in the southern and eastern, highlighting the existing disparities in the single market. Based on these insights, we propose targeted policy interventions to promote equitable twin transitions. |
| Keywords: | Digitalization, Sustainable Development, NUTS 2, Europe |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:itse25:331300 |
| By: | Hammarstedt, Mats (Linnaeus University, and) |
| Abstract: | We present results from research on different dimensions of immigrant self-employment in Sweden. There are variations in self-employment rates between different groups of immigrants and the native population. Self-employment rates have increased markedly among certain groups of immigrants since the 1990s. Immigrants from certain countries in the Middle East are over-represented in self-employment, while self-employment rates among immigrants from countries in Africa are relatively low. Immigrants from countries outside Europe are often self-employed in branches with low entry barriers. Exit rates from self-employment are generally higher, and earnings are lower among self-employed non-European immigrants than among self-employed natives and European immigrants. Research regarding explanations for why immigrants opt for self-employment is presented. Results indicate that immigrants are pushed into self-employment due to low earnings in wage-employment. As regards the effects of ethnic enclaves, networks, and traditions from their home countries, the results are inconclusive. Family traditions and parental role models increase self-employment propensities more for immigrants than for natives. Non-European immigrants report that they encounter other difficulties and obstacles in their business activities than natives and European immigrants. They consider lack of access to financial capital and discrimination from banks, customers, and suppliers as obstacles for successful self-employment. Finally, results show that immigrants who are successful in their business activities may play an important role for labor market integration since they create employment opportunities also for other immigrants. |
| Keywords: | Self-employment; Immigrants; Sweden |
| JEL: | J15 J24 L26 |
| Date: | 2025–11–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:1544 |
| By: | Martin H. Saavedra; Tate Twinam |
| Abstract: | During World War II, the U.S. government incarcerated all West Coast Japanese Americans in internment camps. We ask how this forced displacement affected Japanese American enclaves. Using the recently digitized 1940 and 1950 full-count censuses, we measure changes in the racial composition of neighborhoods across 14 major cities. We find that internment reduced the Japanese American population of enumeration districts within the exclusion zone by 25–50% relative to their 1940 levels, and that these individuals were replaced by African American in-movers in a nearly 1-to-1 fashion. Outside the exclusion zone, new Japanese American enclaves formed, but did not approach the scale of their historic West Coast counterparts. |
| JEL: | J15 N92 R23 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34510 |
| By: | Peterson, Lisa; Nguyen Vo, Karen |
| Abstract: | The UC Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) has released the California Traffic Safety Survey 2025. The study was led by Ewald & Wasserman Research Consultants (E&W) and conducted on behalf of the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and SafeTREC. The California Traffic Safety Survey has been conducted annually since 2010 to gain a better understanding of a range of traffic safety behaviors and to help inform traffic safety programs and public education campaigns. This year’s survey was conducted with an online panel of California drivers in all California counties for a total of 2, 319 respondents, with the majority of those surveyed (59.1% unweighted) coming from Southern California and falling within the 18-44 age range. Over 25 questions were created to address a variety of topics concerning road safety, including distracted driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, statewide safety campaigns, and driverless vehicles. First introduced to the California Traffic Safety Survey in 2022, respondents were also asked to rate five elements of increasing road safety that comprise the Safe System Approach. |
| Keywords: | Social and Behavioral Sciences, traffic safety, distracted driving, driving under the influence, pedestrian safety, bicyclist safety, driverless vehicles |
| Date: | 2025–09–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt95g4w441 |
| By: | Hsu, Cheng-Kai; Tsao, Melody; Moran, Marcel E; Griswold, Julia B; Schneider, Robert J; Bigham, John M |
| Abstract: | In the US, speed limit setting (SLS) procedures have historically relied on driver-behavior-based methods, such as the 85th percentile speed, which are considered objective and allow for consistent application. However, this approach has notable shortcomings, including drivers’ tendency to underestimate their speeds, speed creep, and insufficient consideration of vulnerable road users, which may conflict with the Safe System Approach and Vision Zero initiatives endorsed by the USDOT (US Department of Transportation). In contrast, context-sensitive approaches, which classify roads based on roadway typologies, have been developed in countries like New Zealand, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Australia. While effective, these approaches have largely been applied outside the US, leaving many US roads with speed limits that may not fit their surroundings or adequately address pedestrian and cyclist safety. Drawing on New Zealand’s One Network Framework, we developed a US-based, context-sensitive roadway classification framework for urban and suburban areas that incorporates “Place, ” which captures surrounding land uses and locational contexts, and “Movement, ” which relates to the road’s transport function. Using nationally available data from the Smart Location Database (SLD) and the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS), we evaluated our roadway classification framework through internal reviews by our research team and external interviews with state-level practitioners, uncovering both opportunities and challenges in adopting a context-sensitive SLS approach in the US. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of creating an objective context-sensitive roadway classification in the US and offer insights for developing new speed-limit guidance aligned with the Safe System framework. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Speed management, Speed limit setting, Context-sensitive, Roadway classification, Safe System Approach, Place and movement, United States |
| Date: | 2025–09–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt3xd0k23j |
| By: | Coinon, Marine |
| Abstract: | The coexistence of conventional and low-input farming methods transforms what appears to be an indi-vidual optimization problem into a collective action dilemma that subsidies and landscape features alone cannot resolve. This paper provides the first large-scale, field-level causal evidence of how exposure to pes-ticide externalities from conventional neighbors affects the diffusion of low-input systems through economic channels by creating spatial coordination failures. Using French administrative panel data on 9.5 million agricultural parcels and exploiting quasi-experimental variation in exposure induced by exogenous wind and topographic gradients, I investigate changes in local organic farming adoption and maintenance. Results reveal a modest, but persistent reduction in organic farming of approximately 2.8% relative to the mean, which is above most of exogenous and correlated peer effects. I show that these edge-effect externalities impose heterogeneous costs on organic producers due to certification-threatening risks from involuntary nonpoint source pollution (via runoff and drift), and an incomplete insurance market that prevents hedging these shocks. These findings highlight the need for coordinated spatial policies and complementary risk management instruments to mitigate the risk of cross-parcel pesticide contamination. |
| Keywords: | Spatial sorting; Peer effects, Technology adoption; Organic farming, Market failures; Panel data. |
| JEL: | Q15 Q18 D62 D81 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tse:wpaper:131132 |
| By: | Robert Ainsworth; Rajeev H. Dehejia; Andrei Munteanu; Cristian Pop-Eleches; Miguel Urquiola |
| Abstract: | We examine the impacts of assignment to STEM vs. humanities-focused curricula in Romania’s high school system. We apply a regression discontinuity design to administrative and survey data to estimate effects on educational pathways, desired careers, and non-cognitive outcomes. An overarching theme of our findings is the malleability of students to what they study. Assignment to STEM increases STEM college enrollment and technology or engineering career intentions by 25 pp. Exploring mechanisms, we find that STEM assignment changes students’ self-perceived academic abilities and their preferences over academic subjects and job tasks. STEM assignment is risky for low-achieving students, reducing their chances of passing a high school exit exam and enrolling in college. A final finding is that STEM makes boys more conservative, while shifting some of girls' views to the left. Our results identify a strategy for promoting STEM higher education and careers, but also highlight potential tradeoffs. |
| JEL: | I2 J24 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34502 |
| By: | Christoph Boehm; Aaron B. Flaaen; Nitya Pandalai-Nayar; Jan Schlupp |
| Abstract: | We develop a new algorithm to map confidential firm-level export transactions to their underlying establishments that can be implemented on U.S. microdata. Using this procedure, we construct a novel micro-dataset of U.S. exports at the plant level. Aggregation of these data permits more accurate measurement of exporting at the subnational level (e.g., county, MSA, etc.) than was previously possible. The data reveal exports to be much more geographically concentrated than both employment and manufacturing sales, implying that some regions are heavily reliant on foreign demand. To illustrate the consequences of such exposure, we study the effects of the trade collapse during the Great Recession on local labor markets. Counties experiencing greater declines in foreign demand performed worse in terms of employment, pay, and wages during the Great Recession. A similar analysis implemented with publicly available imputed export data—a common practice in the literature—fails to replicate these estimates. |
| JEL: | F0 F10 F14 F16 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34508 |
| By: | Bob Martens |
| Abstract: | Education in the field of Real Estate in Europe is multifaceted. Curriculum development in the past predominantly focused on programs lasting 3-4 semesters, which were attended as a whole. This also included a distinct entry point, from which a series of lectures was held. However, this is no longer the only model, as a growing number of course programs are composed of modules (i.e., a set of interrelated lectures/seminars) that can be attended as standalone modules and eventually combined at a later stage into MSc or MBA programs. In addition to this, the instrument of microcredentials has emerged. This is a relatively novel concept that defines another way to credit academic and/or professional performance and translate it into ECTS. In the framework of this presentation, an outline of these developments will be provided. |
| Keywords: | Competency-based learning; Curriculum structure; Degree programme; Learning outcome |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_281 |
| By: | Akpınar, Musab Talha; Korkut, Cem |
| Abstract: | This chapter explores the integral role of basic sciences—physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics—in developing Sustainable Smart Cities, which aim to enhance urban living through environmental sustainability and technological advancement. By examining how each of these scientific disciplines contributes to urban sustainability, the chapter provides a comprehensive overview of their application to smart city infrastructure, resource management, and environmental health. Physics underpins energy efficiency and structural integrity in building designs, while chemistry drives innovations in sustainable materials, waste management, and pollution control. Biological sciences support the development of green spaces, biodiversity conservation, and urban agriculture, promoting ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and natural cooling. Meanwhile, mathematics and data science enable real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and optimized resource allocation, ensuring that cities can respond to dynamic urban challenges with agility and foresight. The chapter also discusses the interconnectedness of these sciences and highlights the need for continued investment in research and education to sustain progress in this field. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to scientific innovation, Sustainable Smart Cities can address the pressing issues of climate change and urbanization, paving the way for resilient, efficient, and inclusive urban environments. |
| Keywords: | Sustainable Development, Smart Cities, Basic Sciences, Urban Sustainability, Environmental Technology Integration |
| JEL: | L9 R0 R00 R58 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126576 |
| By: | Van Wolleghem, Pierre; Soares, Marta Bruno; Puga-Gonzalez, Ivan; Shults, LeRon |
| Abstract: | As climate change intensifies, European local authorities (LAs) face growing pressure to adapt effectively. This article explores how LAs acquire and disseminate climate and policy knowledge, with a focus on their participation in EU-funded Research and Innovation (R&I) projects and Transnational Municipal Networks (TMNs). We map over 500 LAs involved in climate-related R&I projects and nearly 14, 000 LAs participating in 12 TMNs. Social Network Analysis (SNA) is used to identify influential hubs, LAs that have potential to both generate and spread adaptation knowledge. We find considerable variation in participation across LAs, both in R&I projects and TMN membership. Cities like Lisbon, Milan, and Tampere emerge as potential “super-spreaders”, displaying high centrality and the potential to bridge otherwise disconnected parts of the European network. |
| Date: | 2025–11–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:erxqg_v1 |
| By: | Stephan Kippes |
| Abstract: | Online reputation, particularly ratings and comments on online review portals, is crucial for acquiring contracts and ultimately for the economic success of real estate companies. The customer journey for hiring a real estate agent for selling or renting a property typically follows this pattern: If the owner does not know a suitable agent, they first try to get a personal recommendation from friends and acquaintances. In marketing literature, this is referred to as “Word of Mouth” (WOM). In the absence of a personal recommendation, the owner/landlord increasingly relies, or has to rely on online reviews and comments, known as “electronic Word of Mouth” (eWOM). If negative comments appear, it usually results in no contract being awarded. Therefore, it is essential to actively address the topic of reviews, review portals, and online reputation. This paper discusses a strategy tree with graduated action options on how real estate companies can respond to negative reviews. |
| Keywords: | customer journey for hiring a real estate agent; online reputation |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_247 |
| By: | Zhang, Michael PhD; Gao, Hang; Qi, Yanlin |
| Abstract: | High occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes allow carpool vehicles to bypass congestion and save travel time. However, HOV lanes are often underutilized, leading to a waste of road capacity or the loss of travel time advantage over general purpose lanes. To address this issue, high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes have gained popularity. HOT lanes, when properly priced, preserve the advantage of HOV lanes, while allowing single-occupant vehicles to pay for access, making use of spare HOT lane capacity. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–09–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt8fq3446x |
| By: | Landersø, Rasmus (Rockwool Foundation Research Unit); Karlson, Kristian B. (University of Copenhagen) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies intergenerational educational mobility among immigrants and descendants in Denmark for cohorts born between 1965 and 1990. At first glance, the data suggests that immigrants experience higher mobility than native Danes, but this pattern is driven by low coverage and poor data quality of parental education information in administrative registers. Among immigrants with the most reliable data, mobility patterns closely resemble those of natives. Auxiliary analyses using representative survey data corroborate this finding. Moreover, including immigrants in population-wide mobility estimates—given their artificially high relative mobility—attenuates trends in estimated mobility, especially for cohorts bornin the 1980s. |
| Keywords: | native-immigrant gaps, educational mobility, data quality |
| JEL: | E43 E52 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18284 |
| By: | Herrero, Teresa; Navio-Marco, Julio; Bujidos-Casado, María; Mendieta-Aragón, Adrian |
| Abstract: | Extending and upgrading communication networks in rural areas is particularly challenging, due to the difficulties to recover the substantial investments it requires. Scholar and policymakers have identified mobile infrastructures as the most viable solution for these regions, owing to their flexibility and lower deployment costs. Techno-economic assessments supporting these recommendations typically rely on bottom-up demand models, with population as the primary input variable. In contrast to this traditional approach, our study shifts the focus to other variables that are highly relevant for mobile service providers: the number of fixed wireless access (FWA) subscriptions, customers' mobility patterns, and the spatiotemporal dynamics of communication services usage. We analyzed voice and broadband traffic data from all sites operated by a Spanish mobile service provider across different time frames, alongside data on FWA subscriptions per site and the number of mobile visitors per municipality. We began with a descriptive analysis of available data, segmented by municipality size, which revealed the unique characteristics of communication services usage in rural areas. These insights informed the development of both linear and non-linear demand models aimed at identifying the most influential variables driving communications demand at the municipal level. The results underscore the crucial role of non-resident users and FWA services in shaping demand—and, by extension, in guiding infrastructure investment decisions. |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:itse25:331275 |
| By: | Herings, P.J.J. (Tilburg University, Center For Economic Research); van Ravenswaaij, Claudia (Tilburg University, Center For Economic Research) |
| Keywords: | Housing matching model; stability; top trading cycle allocation; horizon-K farsightedness |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tiu:tiucen:e1cbf68a-1c0d-40e3-bbcf-762ef9f28d59 |
| By: | Ding, Kaijing; Hansen, Mark PhD |
| Abstract: | This study provides a method to quantify the benefits of reducing the costs from flight delays by shifting air passenger traffic to high-speed rail (HSR). We first estimate the number of flight reductions by each quarter hour for airport origin and destination pairs based on HSR ridership forecasts in the California High-Speed Rail 2020 Business Plan. Lasso models are then applied to estimate the impact of the reduced queuing delay at SFO, LAX and SAN airports on arrival delays at national Core 29 airports. Finally, these delay reductions are monetized using aircraft operating costs per hour and the value of passenger time per hour. We apply several different variations of this approach, for example, considering delay at all 29 Core airports or just major California airports, different scenarios for future airport capacity and flight schedules, and different forecasts for future HSR ridership. We estimate mid-range delay cost savings of $51-88 million (2018 dollars) in 2029 and $235-392 million (2018 dollars) in 2033. The estimated savings are similar to, but slightly lower than, those based on cost estimates to upgrade airport capacity to handle passenger traffic that could be diverted to HSR. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, High speed rail, air travel, ridership, forecasting, mathematical models, flight delays, mathematical models, airport capacity, railroad capacity, cost analysis |
| Date: | 2025–10–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt8g57g791 |
| By: | Fahmida Khatun; Foqoruddin Al Kabir; Md. Takrim Hossain |
| Abstract: | This policy brief examines how rising urban heat stress in Bangladesh is linked to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from key sectors, especially agriculture and industry. The objective is to understand the long-run relationship between sectoral emissions and heat stress, and to recommend solutions for building climate-resilient and sustainable cities in Bangladesh. |
| Keywords: | UrbanHeatStress, SustainableCities, GHGEmissions, ClimateAction, UrbanResilience, HeatStressManagement, ClimateSmartAgriculture, SustainableTransport, UrbanGreening, BangladeshClimatePolicy |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pdb:pbrief:84 |
| By: | Li, Jia PhD; Qi, Yanlin; Zhang, Michael PhD |
| Abstract: | Emerging machine learning capabilities can be leveraged to make transportation infrastructure safer and reduce fatalities by informing decisions about which countermeasures to apply at crash-prone locations. At this time, project prioritization typically involves assessing effectiveness, cost-benefit ratios, and available funding. Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) play an essential role in project assessment by predicting the effectiveness of safety countermeasures. Their applicability has limitations, however. Some of these may be overcome with innovative approaches such as knowledge-mining. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt0x26t67j |
| By: | Shaheen, Susan PhD; Martin, Elliot PhD; Ju, Mengying |
| Abstract: | Transportation network companies (TNCs), also known as ridehailing, such as Uber and Lyft, have contributed to increased vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and associated emissions in California’s urban areas over the past decade. In response, Senate Bill (SB) 1014 – the Clean Miles Standard – requires TNCs to achieve 90% electric vehicle (EV) miles traveled and zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per passenger mile by 2030. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) oversee implementation and enforcement of these targets. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt2jm242h7 |
| By: | Umblijs, Janis; Hermansen, Are Skeie |
| Abstract: | Personal names are visible markers of ethnic identity that can shape access to economic opportunity. While field experiments provide ample evidence that foreign-sounding names limit immigrants’ access to employment, far less is known about how names shape career trajectories beyond the point of hire in naturally unfolding labor market settings. Using unique administrative data with longitudinal information on personal names, we investigate how changing from a foreign-sounding to a name more typical in the native-born majority improves the labor market outcomes of immigrants and their children. Covering the entire population in Norway, these data allow us to calculate names’ ethnic distinctiveness and observe when individuals pursue a name-assimilation strategy. We exploit the timing of name changes in a difference-in-differences event study design following individuals before and after name change, with individuals who changed their names later as the control group. We find that adopting a mainstream name increases non-Western immigrants’ earnings by approximately 30 percent. These gains stem primarily from movement into stable, higher-paying jobs rather than wage growth within firms, indicating that name assimilation reduces barriers to job entry rather than influencing advancement within workplaces. These findings provide rare causal evidence on the economic payoff of symbolic assimilation and show how ethnic signals continue to structure opportunity in contemporary labor markets. |
| Date: | 2025–11–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:rd3gv_v1 |
| By: | Luke N. Condra; Daniel B. Jones; Randall P. Walsh |
| Abstract: | How does the trauma associated with exposure to racial violence affect economic outcomes? We study this question in the context of lynchings of Black citizens in the American South between 1880 and 1940 and provide systematic evidence of long-run economic impacts of that violence for the broader community and the effects’ persistence across generations. First, using data on averted lynchings and matched placebos as counterfactuals, we show that children indirectly exposed to the racial trauma of lynchings (proxied by close proximity to the victim’s household location) exhibit a reduction in occupational income score and likelihood of holding a white collar occupation, in their prime earning years as adults. We also observe intergenerational effects: children of the individuals who were exposed (as children) to lynchings see, as adults observed in 1940, a reduction in their income relative to counterfactual individuals. By documenting long-run and intergenerational economic effects of exposure to lynchings, we add empirical evidence to an interdisciplinary literature that identifies racial trauma as a distinctive and durable form of psychological harm. |
| JEL: | N0 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34523 |
| By: | Jenn, Alamn PhD |
| Abstract: | The gasoline tax, the primary source of transportation funding in California and United States, is rapidly losing effectiveness as vehicles become more fuel efficient and as electric vehicles enter the market. To address this funding shortfall, many states are exploring alternatives to the gas tax such as a road usage charge (RUC), which charge drivers based on miles traveled rather than fuel consumed. The 2021 federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) supports this transition by funding both national and state-level RUC pilot demonstrations. Despite growing momentum, questions remain about how RUCs affect equity. Policymakers are particularly concerned about whether rural residents, who often travel longer distances, or disadvantaged communities, who already face economic and mobility barriers, would be disproportionately burdened. To better understand these impacts, my team examined how a revenue-neutral RUC in California would change the financial burden of switching from a gas tax to RUC, focusing on geographic and community differences. |
| Keywords: | Engineering |
| Date: | 2025–11–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt35z4p34f |
| By: | Lin, Rui PhD; Wang, Pei PhD |
| Abstract: | Onboard eco-driving systems provide drivers with real-time information about their driving behavior and road conditions, encouraging them to optimize their driving speed and consequently reduce fuel consumption and emissions. However, there are barriers to making eco-driving a habit. To determine the elements that influence drivers’ intentions to practice eco-driving and their acceptance of eco-driving technology, we developed a theoretical model based on established theories on planned behavior, technology acceptance, and personal goals. The findings showed that drivers’ intention to practice eco-driving has an indirect effect on their intention to use the system via the factor of perceived ease of use. We also explored how cognitive distraction while using an eco-driving system can be a potential barrier to acceptance. The intent is to put forward a solution to improve drivers’ usage eco-driving by turning off guidance when the system detects that the driver is experience from serious distraction. To investigate how to detect a driver’s cognitive distraction status when they are interacting with an eco-driving system, we used a driving simulator and leveraged machine learning algorithms to classify drivers’ attentional states. The findings showed that the glance features played a more important role than the driving features in cognitive distraction. |
| Keywords: | Engineering, Eco-driving, connected vehicles, fuel consumption, traffic safety, mathematical models, driver performance, behavior, eye fixations, cognition, driving simulators |
| Date: | 2025–08–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:itsrrp:qt1cc649wh |
| By: | Nikolaos Triantafyllopoulos |
| Abstract: | Through the Special Urban Plans (SUPs) established in Greece, ad hoc increased property development rights are granted with the aim of facilitating private investment, by way of derogation from the general planning regulations. SUPs provide significant advantages to businesses, while mechanisms for public value capture, or compensatory benefits for the community are absent. This review paper argues that these advantageous regulations raise concerns of allocation of non-recovered, indirect state aid to business through their properties, thus distorting competition and violating EU rules. |
| Keywords: | private property development; public value capture; state aid; Urban Planning |
| JEL: | R3 |
| Date: | 2025–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arz:wpaper:eres2025_135 |
| By: | Giuseppe Attanasi; Giuseppe Ciccarone; Valentina Peruzzi |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates how collective cultural participation shapes the micro-dynamics of trust formation and its short-term social and economic effects. Using unique microdata from a long-term field study of collective cultural participation, comprising more than 13, 000 face-to-face interviews, we examine whether engagement in shared artistic experiences enhances instantaneous social capital, defined as a temporary yet socially meaningful increase in interpersonal trust. Results show that emotional and bodily participation in collective performances significantly increases the likelihood of reporting higher trust toward others. This situational trust, in turn, predicts a greater willingness to volunteer and higher local spending. The findings highlight that cultural events can act as catalysts of both social cohesion and local economic vitality, even within short-lived, non-institutional settings. |
| Keywords: | social capital; trust; cultural participation; field study; prosocial behavior; local development |
| JEL: | Z13 D91 D64 O18 C83 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sap:wpaper:wp266 |
| By: | Perez, Alan; Hoover, Sarah; Henderson, Jamila; Hogg, Jennifer; Lacoe, Johanna; Rothstein , Jesse |
| Keywords: | Education |
| Date: | 2024–01–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdl:cshedu:qt7br3c8jp |
| By: | Junlin Yang |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates how institutional learning and regional spillovers shape volatility dynamics in ASEAN equity markets. Using daily data for Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand from 2010 to 2024, we construct a high-frequency institutional learning index via a MIDAS-EPU approach. Unlike existing studies that treat institutional quality as a static background characteristic, this paper models institutions as a dynamic mechanism that reacts to policy shocks, information pressure, and crisis events. Building on this perspective, we introduce two new volatility frameworks: the Institutional Response Dynamics Model (IRDM), which embeds crisis memory, policy shocks, and information flows; and the Network-Integrated IRDM (N-IRDM), which incorporates dynamic-correlation and institutional-similarity networks to capture cross-market transmission. Empirical results show that institutional learning amplifies short-run sensitivity to shocks yet accelerates post-crisis normalization. Crisis-memory terms explain prolonged volatility clustering, while network interactions improve tail behavior and short-horizon forecasts. Robustness checks using placebo and lagged networks indicate that spillovers reflect a strong regional common factor rather than dependence on specific correlation topologies. Diebold-Mariano and ENCNEW tests confirm that the N-IRDM significantly outperforms baseline GARCH benchmarks. The findings highlight a dual role of institutions and offer policy insights on transparency enhancement, macroprudential communication, and coordinated regional governance. |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2511.19824 |
| By: | Loureiro, Paulo Roberto Amorim |
| Abstract: | This paper develops the concept of “criminal symbiosis” to explain the persistence of violence in Brazil. Using official historical series, we document a systematic co-movement between serious crimes and minor offenses, suggesting a process of mutual reinforcement. When minor crimes increase, policing costs rise and the expected punishment for severe offenses declines, enabling escalation into homicide and organized crime. Conversely, targeted repression of minor infractions helps restore social norms and generates measurable deterrent effects. We formalize this mechanism through a dynamic system linking offender stocks, institutional responses, and intergenerational transmission of crime. The framework provides clear testable implications and supports integrated crime-prevention strategies that combine enforcement, rehabilitation, and community resilience. |
| Keywords: | Criminal symbiosis; Crime dynamics; Minor offenses; Homicide; Deterrence; Brazil |
| JEL: | H56 I31 J13 K42 |
| Date: | 2025–06–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126627 |
| By: | De Carvalho Reis Neves, Mateus; Bressan, Valéria; Shinkoda, Marcelo; Romero, João; Souza, Gustavo Henrique |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, International Development |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea24:343658 |
| By: | Grenet, Julien (Paris School of Economics and CNRS); Grönqvist, Hans (Department of Economics and Statistics); Hertegård, Edvin (SOFI, Stockholm University); Nybom, Martin (IFAU, Uppsala University); Stuhler, Jan (Department of Economics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid) |
| Abstract: | We study how students adjust their early career choices in response to economic crises and how these decisions affect their long-run labor market outcomes. Focusing on Sweden’s deep recession in the early 1990s-which hit the manufacturing and construction sectors hardest—we first show that students whose fathers lost jobs in these sectors were more likely to choose career paths tied to less-affected industries. These students later experienced better labor market outcomes, including higher employment and earnings. Our findings suggest that informational frictions are a key obstacle to structural change and identify career choice as an important channel through which recessions reshape labor markets in the long run. |
| Keywords: | High School Major; Recession; Information Frictions; Structural Change |
| JEL: | E32 I25 J24 J63 |
| Date: | 2025–11–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:vxesta:2025_001 |
| By: | Gemma Dipoppa; Annalisa Pezone |
| Abstract: | All states adopt systems to surveil political activists. How do they decide whom to watch and why? We study the logic of state surveillance using the first complete individual-level database of those monitored by a state — 152, 000 Italians born between 1816 and 1932, encompassing both democratic and authoritarian regimes. We focus on education: exploiting a discontinuous expansion in primary schooling in municipalities above a population and age threshold, we show that cohorts exposed to more years of school experienced an uptick in surveillance. The effect is largest for working classes, who were monitored for longer periods, subjected to harsher measures, and disproportionately targeted when affiliated with communist ideologies. Yet treated cohorts did not become more politically active, indicating that surveillance expanded not in reaction to increased mobilization, but as a preventive strategy rooted in fears of working-class empowerment. These findings reveal how states view educated yet excluded groups as politically threatening and prioritize their surveillance, potentially generating inequalities in groups' ability to influence political change. |
| JEL: | N43 N44 O33 O38 P00 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34492 |
| By: | Barbora Livorova (Institute of Economic Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic & Czech National Bank); Adam Gersl (Institute of Economic Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic) |
| Abstract: | This paper contributes to studying the impacts of monetary policy on labour income inequality in the euro area using subnational regional data on compensation per employee. The dataset covers 932 NUTS3 regions from 16 countries over the period 2000 - 2022 at a yearly frequency. Using sub-sample analysis combined with local projections, the results show that monetary policy rate changes have heterogeneous effects on the growth of real compensation per employee (deflated by the GDP deflator) at both the bottom and upper ends of the regional distribution within individual countries. From the whole euro area perspective, monetary policy tightening has a heterogeneous effect on labour incomes between regions - in times of monetary policy easing, shortening the gap between average low- and high-income regions. |
| Keywords: | Monetary Policy, Regional Inequality, Compensation of employees, Local Projections |
| JEL: | E52 J31 R10 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fau:wpaper:wp2025_27 |