Research

A Taxing Dilemma: Land Take, Fiscal Revenues and the Redistribution Puzzle

This research examines the role of land taxation in shaping land-use patterns in France, with a focus on its potential to incentivize land take and urban sprawl. Despite being a critical source of revenue for municipalities, local taxes on land have not been systematically designed to address soil conservation or ecological priorities. Using empirical methods, the project investigates the causal relationship between land take and tax revenues, while analyzing how these revenues are redistributed among local authorities. By uncovering fiscal distortions and their environmental impacts, the study aims to inform policies that reconcile tax equity, sustainable land use, and ecosystem preservation.

Contested Ground: Exploring Land Use Conflicts in France

With François Lafont

This project seeks to systematically catalog and map conflicts related to construction and land-use changes in France. Using administrative court decisions, we build a comprehensive national database detailing the location of disputed constructions, the nature of the legal claims, court rulings, and the categories of buildings involved. The database, drawn from hundreds of thousands of judicial documents, enables the testing of hypotheses from urban economics, particularly the relationship between resistance to densification and economic inequalities. Additionally, it examines how ecological arguments are mobilized in land-use conflicts, shedding light on the evolving role of environmental considerations in territorial disputes. This comprehensive approach contributes to a deeper understanding of the challenges associated with sustainable urban development and land conservation goals.