Pete Rodrigue pulls from multiple studies, arguing that zoning contributes to an education gap between rich and poor students. Housing costs lie at the heart of the problem.
While zoning may no longer have overtly racist or classist intentions, it can still function that way. Pete Rodrigue makes the case that we see this very clearly in schools. Segregation of housing types perpetuates the segregation of people.
"It works like this: wealthy neighborhoods around the US ban rentals, multifamily housing, and smaller homes through regulations like zoning. This excludes lower-income families by outlawing housing they could afford."
Rodrigue goes on to say that "separate is not equal: because almost half of school funding derives from local sources, poor students are left with less funding relative to student need and less experienced teachers."
Using data from several studies, Rodrigue reports that metro areas with more exclusionary zoning have the widest test score gaps between poor and well-off students. Where zoning is less restrictive, gaps in test scores and housing costs can be drastically reduced. Strategies like housing mobility may help in the short term, but zoning rules eventually need to change.
FULL STORY: How exclusionary zoning limits poor families’ access to good schools
8 Ways Exclusionary Zoning Hurts Cities
The Sightline Institute tackles what may be "our most acute urban public policy challenge."
Is Exclusionary Zoning a Good Thing?
Some commentators defend exclusionary suburban zoning on the ground that it makes affluent suburbanites more willing to pay for public services. But does exclusion create losers?
America's Residential Segregation is Getting Worse
New research shows growing segregation over the last two decades in the majority of large metropolitan areas.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.
Report: Transportation Equity Requires More Than Electrification
Lower-income households often lack the resources to buy electric cars, signaling a need for a more holistic approach to improving mobility and lowering transportation costs.
Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design
Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.
A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton
Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research