4 Follow Us on Social Media (852) 3469 2721 ppolpr@ust.hk The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology c/o Division of Public Policy (PPOL) Room 4611, Academic Building, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong estate developers can contemplate increasing the number of rooms in apartments to accommodate telecommuters in creating home offices. Given limited square footage, apartment developers in urban areas can pay closer attention to interior space design to cater to the needs of telecommuters requiring home office spaces. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the impact of telecommuting on housing types is particularly pronounced for middle-aged (30-55 years old) households, implying that any new low-density developments tailored for telecommuters should consider lifecycle needs, such as schools, children, and family leisure facilities. Call for Studies on Telecommuting’s Influence on Cities with Compact Development While this study is based on US data, it carries international implications for housing markets in other regions. The impact of telecommuting on housing markets, akin to the US scenario, suggests that telecommuters, less restricted by commuting distances, have more housing options, potentially favoring low-cost, spacious accommodations due to reduced constraints. It is worthwhile to explore the effects of telecommuting on regions with significantly different housing markets from those in North America. For instance, regions characterized by compact development like Hong Kong, Singapore, and other Asian cities may witness shifts in homeownership and housing preferences due to telecommuting, albeit in distinct manners. Unique housing characteristics, housing policies (e.g., public housing in Hong Kong), and land scarcity issues may engender a unique relationship between telecommuting and dwelling preferences in these regions. Therefore, investigating the impact of telecommuting on the real estate market in such areas is crucial. Main Reference Zhu, Pengyu, Yuqing Guo, and Praveen Maghelal. "Does telecommuting influence homeownership and housing choice? Evidence based on pre-pandemic data." Housing Studies (2023): 1-34. Contact Us Pengyu ZHU is Associate Professor in the Division of Public Policy at HKUST. His research focuses on 1) travel behavior, location choice, implications for economic and environmental issues; 2) links between transportation infrastructure, housing market, and economic developments; 3) urban planning and policy decision-making by spatio-temporal big data analytics. His work has been published in leading journals such as Landscape and Urban Planning, Transportation Research Part D, Cities, and Journal of Cleaner Production. His research has garnered recognition in reputable scientific media like the Wall Street Journal, Slate Magazine, and CityLab. Over recent years, he has secured research grants exceeding HK$3,800,000 from government agencies. He received the 5th Charles M. Tiebout Prize in Regional Science in 2011 and the Regional Science Springer Prize in 2014. He serves as an associate editor for The Journal of Urban Management and a special issue co-editor of Transportation Research Part D. Yuqing GUO is PhD candidate in the Thrust of Urban Governance and Design, Society Hub at HKUST (GZ). Her research interests encompass travel behaviour, the influence of information and communication technologies, and the application of deep learning for spatiotemporal data analysis. Public Policy BULLETIN Influence of Telecommuting on Homeownership and Housing Choice: A Study Based on Pre-pandemic Data
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