Dominic Behrens

Dominic Behrens

Housing and urban economist. Doing absolutely everything I can to fix the housing crisis.

I am a Senior Economist at The Centre for International Economics. I work on housing, land use and transport, using quantitative analysis and modelling to answer practical policy questions. I also co-founded Sydney YIMBY.

Selected work

  1. What Local Land Use Reform Does, and Doesn't, Do

    2026

    Working paper with Matthew Maltman and Theo Gibbons presenting Australian-first evidence on the impacts of planning reform.

    Research / e61 Institute

  2. Wasted Space: Axe Car-Parking Rules to Ease the Housing Crisis

    2026

    Australia's most detailed report on the case for scrapping costly parking rules.

    Report / Grattan Institute

  3. Against 'Affordable' Housing

    2026

    A detailed essay examining the problems with 'Affordable' housing in Australia.

    Essay / Inflection Points

  4. Inflection Points Podcast

    2026

    Discussion with host Jonathan O'Brien on mine and Ethan Gilbert's article Against 'Affordable' Housing and broader housing policy issues.

    Podcast / Inflection Points

  5. Small Lots, Big Difference. Townhomes Work Everywhere. Conversation with Dominic Behrens

    2026

    Conversation with Marina Rubina on “What local land use reform does, and doesn’t, do” on the “Who Killed the Starter Home?” podcast.

    Podcast / Who Killed the Starter Home?
All publications →

Work and community

  1. Senior Economist

    Work

    The Centre for International Economics

  2. Co-founder & Secretary

    Advocacy

    Sydney YIMBY

Education

  1. Bachelor of Economics (Honours)

    2021

    University of New South Wales. First Class Honours in Econometrics.