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Neighborhood Change and Local Economic Activity

Author

Listed:
  • Hector Blanco
  • Lorenzo Neri

Abstract

We study how neighborhood change shapes local business demographics and employment. We use the regeneration of London public housing into mixed-income housing as a natural experiment that led to a large influx of more affluent households. In a difference-in-differences design comparing nearby businesses to those located farther away, we find that regenerations shift business composition – in both counts and employment – away from small local shops and toward larger general retail establishments and dining services that cater to the new residents. While we find no effect on total local employment on average, employment does increase in the areas most disadvantaged at baseline, suggesting that neighborhood change can expand local employment opportunities in these areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Hector Blanco & Lorenzo Neri, 2026. "Neighborhood Change and Local Economic Activity," CESifo Working Paper Series 12891, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12891
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R38 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Government Policy

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