Causes and Consequences of Zoning Reform in Auckland

Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy
The University of Auckland

Foreign Exchange
Foreign Exchange, a department of Cityscape, reports on what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's International and Philanthropic Affairs Division has learned about new departures in housing and development policy in cities and suburbs throughout the world that might have value if applied in U.S. communities. If you have a recent research report or article of fewer than 2,000 words to share in a forthcoming issue of Cityscape, please send a one-paragraph abstract to Bradley.A.Weaver@hud.gov.

In 2016, the city of Auckland, New Zealand, upzoned approximately three-quarters of residential land to support medium- and high-density housing. This article describes the antecedents to this widespread zoning reform, details the extent of the reform, and presents evidence of its subsequent impacts on the city's housing market. The amalgamation of municipal governments into a single jurisdiction was an important precursor to the reform. Subsequent increases in housing starts indicate that the upzoning had a substantial impact on housing construction, while changes in rents suggest that it significantly decelerated increases in housing costs.