Is Urban Sprawl Good for Minorities?

This article investigates the effect of urban sprawl, as measured by employment decentralization, on minority housing consumption gaps since the housing bust. Previous research contends that sprawl contributes to reducing the Black–White housing consumption gap by increasing the supply of land in housing markets and thereby increasing affordability. Antisprawl policies may therefore exacerbate the Black–White housing disparity. This research makes two contributions to the literature. First, the article examines how changes in sprawl may have varying influences on the Black–White housing gap, a previously unexamined facet of this relationship. In the vast majority of metropolitan areas in this sample, sprawl is predicted to exacerbate the Black–White housing gap until sprawl reaches a threshold. Only in a limited number of high-sprawl metropolitan areas does sprawl contribute to reducing the Black–White housing gap. Second, the article examines differences in housing gaps for three distinct minority groups—Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics—using recent data from the 2009 American Housing Survey. For Blacks, sprawl continues to have varying effects on housing consumption. For Asians, urban sprawl yields significant gains in housing consumption relative to Whites. However, no significant results occur for Hispanics. This article demonstrates that the independent effect of urban sprawl on U.S. minority housing consumption is a highly uneven process in the post–Great Recession economy. As such, arguments that antisprawl policies reduce minority gains in housing should be treated with considerable skepticism.     

Does the Likely Demographics of Affordable Housing Justify NIMBYism?

ABSTRACT

NIMBYism (not in my backyard) decreases the amount of affordable housing construction. A possible motivator for this is an existing homeowner’s fear that proximity to affordable housing depresses property value. Using a hedonic regression analysis of the sales prices of homes in Sacramento County, California, this study finds that increases in the demographic characteristics in a census tract that are likely to increase if more affordable housing is built there lower the sales price of a home. This finding holds even after controlling for the percentages of racial/ethnic groups more likely to face discrimination. Policymakers should recognize this economic element of NIMBYism as they consider instruments to increase the amount of affordable housing built. We conclude with a suggestion for a knowingly controversial policy mechanism based upon cap and trade with the hope it will spur further debate on this issue.     

Addressing Restrictive Zoning for Affordable Housing: Experiences in Four States

Affordable housing development in suburban locales is often constrained by zoning and other municipal land-use restrictions. This article explores experiences in four states that have been recognized for exemplary interventions that address “exclusionary zoning.” Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the article examines overall production levels resulting from the specific program, the extent to which such production is occurring in locales with more White residents and more higher-income residents, and the levels of compliance with state-specified goals, where such goals exist. When possible, cross-state comparisons are provided. Although there are clear signs of progress, with municipalities increasing their affordable housing stocks and with some of this production occurring in locales that probably would not have developed such housing without such state (or county) intervention, the pace has been slow. A number of recommendations are offered for these and other states contemplating strategies to address exclusionary land-use practices.     

房屋征收补偿协议的行政诉讼问题①--以《国有土地上房屋征收与补偿条例》第25条为视点

房屋征收补偿协议是一种行政合同,按其属性应纳入行政诉讼。但问题在于,现行行政诉讼制度不能容纳这一诉讼类型：原告资格、协议效力、诉讼竞合、证据规则、判决种类等方面都提出了新的要求。这些问题认识不清,已造成实务的混乱和理论的争议。那么,目前实务上需要哪些调整,未来行政诉讼法又需要哪些方面突破,这些都要在行政诉讼新类型制度上来解释,并且在契约行政与合作治理的理论背景下来考察。     

当前公租房治安管理模式存在的问题及对策——以重庆“民心佳园”公租房小区为视角

随着公租房建设的全面铺开,如何管理好公租房小区是当前面临的社会难题。公租房小区的管理主体、管理对象、管理手段方面都呈现出新的特点。要理顺管理体制,明确责任,健全基层组织;建立完备的公租房规章制度,完善技防措施,提高物管水平;延伸公安信息采集的触角,开展多元化服务;协调整合社会各界力量,建立多层次、全方位的社区安全资源网络。     

Synthetic Performance Indicators for Residential Housing Agencies

Many public administrations produce and distribute public services through a number of similar local autonomous organizations, or institutions, operating in different parts of the territory assigned to them under a centralized authority. Examples of this are the public residential housing institutions, the institutions for waste disposal, health care institutions, and education institutions. The problem arises regarding the evaluation of the performance of these local organizations and institutions not in absolute but in relative terms, in order to determine what incentives or sanctions should be meted out to them. This study presents the methodological problems, the data analysis, and the initial results of the method adopted by the Lombardy Region to create a system of performance indicators that will permit an automatic ranking of the Residential Housing Agencies in Lombardy （ALER） according to their performance, based on information from their balance sheets. A performance index was devised by rationally combining the results of three different analyses： position analysis, ranking analysis, and scoring analysis. The results allowed the central administration to： （1） motivate the managers of the local units through a system of performance-based incentives; （2） aggregate poorly performing local units or outsource inefficient functions; and （3） create competition among local units and raise overall performance levels.     

住房社会保障制度基本原则研究

住房社会保障事关民生,是现代社会保障立法的起点和归宿。构建住房社会保障制度应确立住房保障权本位原则、保障主（客）体的特殊性原则、保障机制的社会化原则、保障水平的适度性原则和权责协调原则。     

Risks and Opportunities in Gender Gaps to Access Shelter: A Platform for Intervention

In the context of the current global trends such as polarization of social groups and intensified poverty, there is a serious risk that gender gaps in access to shelter widen among the poor to the detriment of women's social, economic, and personal well-being. Paradoxically, these conditions also provide certain opportunities for women, including their greater community-based mobilization and leadership role. This paper examines these risks and the opportunities they bear upon and stresses the need for intervention in four areas of rights, access, security, and empowerment. The paper draws on a participatory research project carried out by the United Nations Gender and Habitat program in 1992 to 1999 in low-income settlements of Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.     

Research on the Residential Satisfaction with Public Housing——Evidence from Zhejiang

Public housing policies focus on the needs of low-income households. The level of residential satisfaction plays a key role in the assessment of government performance. This paper reviews researches on the residential satisfaction of inhabitants living in public houses and introduces relevant national practices. Based on data from Zhejiang, we found that the average residential satisfaction level is “relatively satisfactory” on the part of the inhabitants. They seem to be satisfied with the supply quantity but a little dissatisfied with the distribution fairness. The factor analysis suggests key factors that significantly affect the residential satisfaction. The study also shows that most inhabitants expect house quality improvement with big developers and are ready to accept the rising price for better quality.