Research / paper
Where the Queue is Longest: Location Quality and Social Housing Demand across English Local Authorities
A Location Quality Index combining public-transport accessibility and amenity endowments, a 2019–2023 local-authority panel, and demand models under non-price rationing.
Question
What the paper asks
Social homes are rationed, not priced, so the length of a waiting list mixes demand with the rules that manage it. The paper asks whether queues are longest where location quality is highest, and how to read that once rationing is taken seriously.
Design at a glance
From data to estimate
MeasurePublic-transport accessibility and amenity endowments for each local authority.
CombineA Location Quality Index built from the two.
PanelA 2019–2023 local-authority panel of social housing demand.
EstimateDemand models under non-price rationing.
Try it
Build an index, then ration it
Toy model with made-up numbers. It illustrates a mechanism and is not a result from the paper. Ten invented areas. Change how the index is weighted, how strongly applicants chase quality, and whether lettings follow quality, and watch what happens to queues.
Status
What is and is not here
- Results, figures and tables are not shown until the authors clear them for release. Placeholder
- Draft, slides and replication code: to be linked. Placeholder
- Related talks (CV): RSA Annual Conference 2026 and the Third Reading Workshop in Urban Economics and Economic Geography. Confirm link to this paper
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