Source: Journal of Housing Studies

Date Published: 09.04.2025

Link: Inclusive growth or displacement? Examining upzoning and gentrification in Lahore, Pakistan

Researching the City of Lahore within Pakistan, a “highly populous developing country,” this article explores a 2020 zoning policy that allowed increased development. The upzoning policy aimed to create more flexibility for vertical development (building height allowances) through building code amendments, especially for residential buildings. The policy was spurred mainly by rising populations, internal migration to Lahore by low-income workers, increasing development in the city’s periphery, and a market that caters “almost exclusively to the rich.” Using data from the largest online real estate platform, local transit data, and labor surveys, the researchers focused on the impact of the policy on housing prices and socio-economic conditions. They found that upzoned areas have higher property prices, averaging an 8.4%-12.2% price increase, and led to gentrification, evidenced by higher literacy rates, job types, and wealthier tenants. Therefore, this study finds that the upzoning policy is unlikely to be a productive tool for improving housing affordability.