Bree Jones Lang

Ph.D. Candidate in Economics

2127 North Hall

University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9210

Office: North Hall 2017

Email: jones@econ.ucsb.edu

Curriculum Vitae (PDF)

Fall 2009 Teaching:

Economics 120 – Urban Economics – Click Here For Announcement/Downloads

Job Market Documents:

Research Agenda

Teaching Philosophy

Sample of Teaching Evaluations

Research
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit: Increasing Affordable Housing Supply or Developer Profit?, 2009 (Under Review), [Job-Market Paper, .pdf]
	Abstract: The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is the largest project-based housing subsidy in the United States. While the program has expanded subsidized housing to suburban areas, some suggest it continues to perpetuate race and income segregation like the public housing it replaced. Previous studies attribute this outcome to qualified census tracts, a location incentive within the program that motivates construction in high-poverty areas. This study finds that in addition to qualified tracts, rent incentives motivate the construction of tax-credit housing in neighborhoods that are already affordable to low-income families. This suggests that LIHTC subsidies may build housing in locations that generate profit for developers without providing additional affordable housing opportunities for low-income tenants.
The Effect of Access to Advanced Placement Courses on SAT Scores and College Attendance, 2009 [.pdf]
	Abstract: Many studies examine how taking advanced courses affects student outcomes, but it is often difficult to separate the effect of advanced coursework from student ability and school quality. This study utilizes a grant in California that required a group of high schools to increase the number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered to their students. The grant provides an exogenous change in the number of AP courses offered in a school, which proxies for participation in advanced courses. Using a difference-in-differences estimation strategy, I show that additional AP participation increases a high school's average SAT score and the fraction of college-bound graduates that attend more selective universities. Results not only confirm that advanced courses affect student outcomes, but also suggest that unequal access to an advanced curriculum is a long-term disadvantage to students from high schools with fewer resources.
California School Districts and the Decision to Propose a Parcel Tax, [Work in Progress]
	Abstract: Since the property tax and school finance reforms of the 1970s, California expenditures per student have fallen 15 percent below the national average. A tax on land that is constant for all parcels, called a parcel tax, is one of the few ways California districts can increase school spending with local tax revenue but is seldom utilized. Previous studies point out that increasing school spending by one dollar for all students can cost voters significantly more using a parcel tax in place of a property tax. This study links the cost associated with parcel taxes to the probability that districts hold a parcel tax election. Results show that the higher cost to voters significantly lowers demand for additional school spending, which makes parcel taxes an unviable option for many school districts. Building on these results, an analysis of current spending levels and voter outcomes indicates that districts do not exhibit budget maximizing behavior through parcel tax proposals. In fact, it appears that most proposals are not large enough to make up for disparities in property tax revenue.