Cities

The aim of the IGC’s cities research is to harness the positive aspects of density, such as innovation and interaction between people and firms, while reducing its downsides of pollution, traffic, and disease. Within cities, the IGC works in firms and employment; housing, crime, and urban public services; municipal finance and urban governance; and urban land and transport. The first area of research is answering whether cities actually improve the productivity and welfare of people, particularly poor residents, and what can be done to increase economic opportunities for the poor. Our second area of research is on how city policies can effectively combat city-specific negative outcomes, such as traffic congestion, low housing supply, and disease. Finally, we provide quantitative and spatial models of cities to inform land use and transportation policy in developing cities.