July 2000 - The United Kingdom generally fights poverty directly-through the government's benefit system-and not through utilities. But British regulators have taken certain measures that help utility consumers (mostly, but not always, poor consumers). Other countries may be able to copy some of...

The existence of segregated housing has sparked interest in the question of whether blacks pay more for housing. That racial segregation exists is not in doubt. The effect of segregation on housing prices in black versus white submarkets is less clear. The empirical evidence is not conclusive....

An empirical analysis of rent control in Kumasi, Ghana, is presented based upon a consumer demand model for housing. Controlled rent-to-income ratios are exceptionally low for a developing country. Moreover, the Asante housing market exhibits unusual cultural attributes and problems in...

Housing quality has improved dramatically for most low-income households, but they are paying much larger shares of their income for it. Many discussions of the bottom of the market focus on either the rising costs (the 'bad' news) or the rising quality (the 'good' news). Both points of view...