This paper compares a number of housing policies such as housing taxation, land use and rental regulations and social housing policies for OECD countries relying on new data. Based on a range of econometric analyses, it also investigates whether these housing-related policies achieve their objectives in an efficient and equitable way and whether there are any side effects on other aspects of housing markets or on the wider economy. One main finding is that badly-designed policies can have substantial negative effects on the economy, for instance by increasing the level and volatility of real house prices and preventing people from moving easily to follow employment opportunities. The paper makes some recommendations for the design of efficient and equitable housing policies that can improve the functioning of housing markets and contribute to macroeconomic stability and growth.
