Microeconomics for Urban Planning and Public Policy

How do economic forces shape our cities? From housing affordability to public transit, urban planners and policymakers must understand how market incentives influence community development. This course provides a clear, conceptual introduction to microeconomics, specifically tailored for the challenges of urban environments. You will transition from grasping basic economic concepts to evaluating complex municipal policies and land-use decisions. By studying real-world urban scenarios, you will learn to predict how regulations affect developers, tenants, and city infrastructure. What you'll learn: - Understand foundational economic concepts including supply, demand, market equilibrium, and elasticity. - Analyze the direct economic impacts of zoning laws, land-use regulations, and rent control. - Evaluate externalities, public goods, and market failures in urban transit and green infrastructure. - Learn modern frameworks for assessing housing affordability and urban growth boundaries. - Apply cost-benefit analysis to municipal projects and local public policy decisions. This course begins with essential economic terminology and core market principles before exploring policy interventions, land economics, and sustainable development. Designed entirely for beginners, this text-only program requires no prior background in mathematics or economics. Start reading today to build the economic literacy needed to design fairer, more efficient cities.