In 1980, Census data indicate, housing prices in large US cities rose with distance from the city center. By 2010, the relationship had reversed. We propose that this development can be traced to high-income households working longer hours. With little non-market time, proximity to work takes on...

In 1980, housing prices in the main US cities rose with distance to the city center. By 2010, that relationship had reversed. We propose that this development can be traced to greater labor supply of high-income households through reduced tolerance for commuting. In a tract-level data set...

In 1980, housing prices in large US cities rose with distance from the city center. By 2010, that relationship had reversed. We propose that the inversion can be traced to more hours worked by the skilled. Scarce non-market time downgrades the importance of residential space and upgrades that of...

In 1980, Census data indicate, housing prices in large US cities rose with distance from the city center. By 2010, that relationship had reversed. We propose that this development can be traced to greater labor supply of high-income households which reduced the tolerance for commuting. In a...

How does territorial control by non-state actors affect long-term development This paper investigates the economic, social, and political consequences of temporary territorial control by guerrillas during the Salvadoran Civil War. During this period, the guerrillas displaced state authorities...

Do electoral successes of women pave the path for more female representation? We study whether gender parity can be self-sustaining and self-reinforcing in Finland, a pioneer of gender equality. To do so, we construct a database of local elections between 1996 and 2021 and leverage election...

We study how two of the world's largest gangs--MS-13 and 18th Street--affect economic development in El Salvador. We exploit the fact that the emergence of these gangs was the consequence of an exogenous shift in American immigration policy that led to the deportation of gang leaders from the...

How do gangs compete for extortion? Using detailed data on individual extortion payments to gangs and sales from a leading wholesale distribution firm in El Salvador, we document new evidence on the determinants of extortion payments and the economic costs of extortion via pass-through. We...