Biography
I study the relationship between real estate development and urban planning. I got drawn to this research area through my experience as a practicing planner. I worked for the City of Cambridge’s Community Development Department and the Boston Planning and Development Agency in Massachusetts. While working at these agencies I witnessed first-hand the contentious debates around real estate development and growth at the local level. However, most practicing planners were not equipped with knowledge and skillset to steward real estate developments in a way that would complement planning goals. In academia, on the other hand, for-profit real estate development was seen as inherently antithetical to progressive planning and thus, little attention was given to real estate development. In response, my work aims to connect the two worlds. I strive to identify how planners and policymakers can harness the forces of real estate development to further progressive planning values and encourage equitable development outcomes.
Education
Bachelor of Architecture: Yonsei University. 2011. Architectural Design
Masters: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2013. Master in Urban Planning
PhD: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2019. Urban and Regional Planning
Research Activities
Selected Publications
Kim, M. (forthcoming). Land Value Capture and Greenfield Developments: Variations in developer perceptions and the performativity of the viability assessment models. Town Planning Review.
Kim, M. (2022). Taking Stock of What We Know About Large-scale Urban Development Projects: A review of existing theoretical frameworks and case studies. Journal of Planning Literature. https://doi.org/10.1177/08854122221097976
Kim, M., & Chapin, T. (2022). Who benefits from Enterprise Zones? Equity implications gleaned from policy design and implementation regulations. Cities. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.103878
Kim, M., & Zhou, T. (2021). Does Restricting the Entry of Formula Businesses Help Mom-and-pop Stores? The Case of American Towns with Unique Community Character. Economic Development Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/08912424211002913
Kim, M. (2021). How do tax-based revitalization policies affect urban property development? Evidence from Bronzeville, Chicago. Urban Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098021995148
Kim, M. (2020). Negotiation or schedule-based? Examining the strengths and weaknesses of the public benefit exaction strategies of Boston and Seattle. Journal of the American Planning Association. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2019.1691040
Kim, M., Malizia, E., Nelson, M., Wolf-Powers, L., Ganning, J., & Schrock, G. (2020). Real Estate Development and Economic Development Planning Education: Pragmatic Turn or Trojan Horse? Journal of Planning Education and Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X20963568
Kim, M. (2020). Upzoning and Value Capture: How U.S. local governments use land use regulation power to create and capture value from real estate developments. Land Use Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104624
Kim, M. (2019). “Adventures in the Land of OZ.” Planning Magazine, American Planning Association, June 2019. https://www.planning.org/planning/2019/jun/adventuresinoz/
