A city experiences a large and permanent increase in its population, causing a significant rise in the demand for rental housing. In response, the local government implements policies that successfully encourage the construction of a large number of new housing units over several years. Assuming the new construction is sufficient to meet the increased demand, what is the most likely long-run effect on the equilibrium rental price and quantity of housing compared to the equilibrium before the population increase?

Analyzing a City's Housing Policy

Long-Run Housing Market Adjustments

Evaluating Housing Market Interventions

In a housing market, a permanent increase in demand will inevitably lead to a permanently higher equilibrium rental price, even if policies are enacted that successfully encourage new construction.

A city's rental housing market is initially in a stable state. A large company then opens a new headquarters in the city, leading to a permanent increase in housing demand. Arrange the following events in the logical order they would occur as the market adjusts to a new long-run equilibrium through an increase in housing supply.

Match each housing market event with its most direct effect on the market's supply or demand curves.

A city faces a permanent surge in housing demand, leading to sharply rising rents. In response, the city government streamlines building regulations and offers incentives for new construction. This policy, by enabling the market to provide more housing units over time in response to price signals, is designed to make the long-run supply of housing more ________.

Evaluating the 'Build More Housing' Solution

A city's rental market is in a stable equilibrium. A permanent positive shock to demand occurs (e.g., a large new employer moves to the area), causing an immediate, sharp increase in rental prices. In the years that follow, policies encouraging new construction lead to a significant increase in the housing supply. How does the new long-run equilibrium compare to the short-run equilibrium that existed immediately after the demand shock but before the new housing was built?