311 calls and neighborhood attributes: A panel study of housing prices

Abstract

This article aims to incorporate social relations into panel hedonic price modeling analyses, examining how the social conditions of neighborhoods are integrated into local housing markets. To achieve this, we utilize Jefferson County, Kentucky, as a case study and decompose publicly available 311 data, which consist of nonemergency concerns and requests reported by residents, into subcategories to proxy the diverse aspects of social relations. Our findings reveal several key insights: (1) 311 data are characterized by their complexity and encompass a wide range of inputs from residents, necessitating careful interpretation; (2) the overall number of 311 reports may offer limited utility in disclosing social relations; (3) specific categories of 311 reports pertaining to public domain issues hold potential as indicators of social relations. Reports on incivilities, for instance, can serve as proxies for conflicting social relations and exhibit negative impacts on housing prices. Conversely, reports on natural deterioration, environmental concerns, and planning issues demonstrate positive impacts on housing prices, suggesting their utility as indicators for social capital within housing studies.