The efficiency and distributional impacts of alternative anti-sprawl policies

This paper develops an analytical and numerical general equilibrium model to compare the efficiency and distributional impacts of development taxes, urban growth boundaries, property taxes and gasoline taxes. From an overall efficiency perspective, development taxes and urban growth boundaries are equivalent instruments and the most effective anti-sprawl policies. If the choice of anti-sprawl instruments is influenced by distributional considerations, our results suggest the preferred instrument is closely related to the location of land. We present distributional impacts of the four policies at the urban city core, the urban suburbs and rural area.