Rent Control, Household Finances, and Labor Market Mobility

This grant is co-funded by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.

The U.S. housing market is grappling with an unprecedented affordability crisis. Rent control policies are one intervention that can alleviate the financial burden on renters. By stabilizing housing costs, rent control may enhance financial security but could also reduce relocation in response to economic opportunities. Doctoral student in economics Gonzalo Respighi Grasso will examine how rent control policies influence households’ decisions to move for better job opportunities. He will analyze data from the University of California Consumer Credit Panel and Regrid, which includes detailed property characteristics, such as building age, structure type, and zoning classifications, for his study.