Tom Cui (Perpetual Amazement)

Why are many U.S. cities building less? Why have they insisted on a "thicket" of regulations that make housing hard to build? In a new #jobmarketpaper with @beau_bressler , I study how much of the answer lies with a forgotten federal program that taught cities to restrict growth

There was a really interesting paper on LA's TOC program published by Stephanie Kestelman at Harvard in December that has completely flown under the radar. It found that, while the program increased entitlements, it didn't actually increase the number of units that got built

Then there's an argument that universities should let go of all their "AI talent," or be more willing to fire football coaches asking for too much of a raise, but also ensure the close link between universities and NIH funding isn't broken.

schools trying to recruit and bid for "superstar" researchers. There's no inherent reason why superstar faculty need to be in a university and not an AI lab or industry, if they're offered high-powered incentives that exceed how their work complements other university services

This is a great paper! It is currently a bit scattered, but it is also readable in a way you can't say for the most polished econ papers. An interpretation I have of the paper is that it sketches out the "two faces" of universities

North America has an elevator problem. Elevators are more expensive to install and maintain in the United States and Canada than elsewhere in the developed world.

@zyudhishthu Wisconsin's program is rising fast and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how big the econ community is there. Excited to follow what ideas you'll have in the years to come!

I'm excited to say that I'll be moving to Madison this fall to start a PhD in Real Estate & Urban Economics at University of Wisconsin! I'll be sad to leave Chicago after this summer, but can't wait to work on research with some great people at UW.

(That 400% growth figure, btw, is pulled from the rough estimate in the report, which was the third bullet point not screencapped.)

a modest rise in spending does suggest lower productivity. But let's say 200000 additional immigrants sought shelter and were all successfully helped. That would also blow up the budget by 400%, but shouldn't increase the unsheltered population by 400%.

I think the calculation in this tweet is wrong, but let me explain my reasoning. While both numbers could be accurate, taking the ratio of them for a "spending per capita" doesn't make sense.

🚨Replication alert🚨 I'm pleased to announce that my replication of Moretti (2021) is now accepted as a comment at AER. I find ten issues in the paper. My comment focuses on two major problems; in the appendix, I document eight (relatively) minor problems. 1/

about an institution like UND that's making a big push to incentivize research. About 10 (!) years ago, I read a passage from economist Ariel Rubinstein. Now that the shock of signing the offer is wearing off, I am revisiting it. It offers a commitment that I will not forget.

I can finally say my job market is over! I will start this fall as an AP in Real Estate at the University of North Dakota. It's a role that carries more responsibility than usual, as we'll start a new major in real estate. However, I'm excited for the opportunity and to talk...