Understanding Opposition to Apartment Buildings

Martin Vinæs Larsen*, Niels Nyholt

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaperJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

New apartment buildings offer potential relief from high housing costs, but they encounter significant local opposition. Using a vignette survey experiment, we explore why citizens oppose the construction of apartment buildings. We find limited evidence that this opposition stems from concerns over congestion or out-group bias. Citizens tend to oppose taller buildings irrespective of whether they attract more or undesirable residents. Instead, opposition to apartment buildings seems to be driven by local preservationism. Respondents do not think that tall buildings fit into their predominantly low-rise neighborhoods. To substantiate the importance of preservationism, we zoom in on projects that were proposed near another apartment building. Here, respondents agree that apartment buildings fit in and they oppose them less. These results may help explain why cities sprawl rather than densify, and why it is difficult to build affordable housing in expensive cities.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Political Institutions and Political Economy
Volume5
Issue1
Pages (from-to)29-46
Number of pages18
ISSN2689-4823
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Sept 2024

Keywords

  • NIMBYism
  • experiment
  • housing
  • public opinion

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