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Peer reviewed2020Chicago

Upzoning Chicago

Freemark

Main finding

Narrow transit-area upzonings raised affected property values but did not produce detectable additional housing during the five-year study window.

Most important limitation

A localized reform and limited horizon may behave differently from broad reform.

From the publication

Inspect the authors' figure directly

Study chart · redrawn

Figure 3 · Cumulative residential units permitted

Chicago's cumulative permit paths changed unevenly across neighborhoods and rule types.

REDRAWN FROM STUDY DATAFigure 3 · Cumulative residential units permitted
Figure 3 · Cumulative residential units permittedChicago's cumulative permit paths changed unevenly across neighborhoods and rule types. Values digitized from Figure 3; six original panels condensed into the three policy comparisons in the archived publication; minor reading error is possible.03006009001,200Cumulative permitted unitsReform exposureAffected parcelsComparison parcelsDensity incr…Parking refo…Both changes

Source: Freemark (2020), Figure 3; PDF p. 21.

Read carefully: The reforms covered narrow station areas, and the study observed only the first several post-reform years.

How this study is used

Claims this evidence supports

Strong evidenceA city cannot build homes it has made illegal.See the full evidence stack →Strong evidenceLegal on paper is not the same as buildable in practice.See the full evidence stack →

Policy connection

Solution guides informed by this study

01Make room for apartments, shops, and neighbors02Bring back the homes between a house and a high-rise03Let homeowners add a home04Stop forcing every home to buy parking05Put more homes where the connections already are06Set clear rules—and say yes on time

Reference

Freemark (2020). “Upzoning Chicago.”

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