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Scott Beyer

Columnist

Scott Beyer is a journalist who focuses on American urban issues. He owns a media company called Market Urbanism Report, which advocates for free-market urban policy. In addition to his work for Governing, Beyer writes regular columns for Forbes, the Independent Institute and Tax Credit Advisor.


Beyer recently completed a three-year cross-country tour to study U.S. urban issues and is working on a book about his findings. He is based in New York City, and his work can be found collectively at MarketUrbanismReport.com.

He can be reached at scott@marketurbanismreport.com.

Absentee property owners from abroad take much of the blame for rising housing prices in America. But they’re really a net win for cities.
How housing shortages, NIMBYism and traffic are reshaping America.
Automobiles hurt the quality of urban life, but radical change is politically difficult.
If cities don't find a way soon, they risk homelessness, crime and drug abuse spreading beyond a single neighborhood.
The city could be accused of policing too much and too little.
Smaller-scale infrastructure projects can pay off in major ways.
Flashing police cameras may make neighborhoods feel ominous, but they serve a purpose.
As transit systems grow antiquated, cities should try nimbler options.
Clearing out blight has its benefits, but it can also erase crucial assets.
But burdensome federal regulations are getting in the way.