Zak Yudhishthu
I'm a PhD student in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I study questions in urban economics, public economics, and household finance. I'm particularly interested in housing markets, urban policy, and how cities change over time.
CV
Working Papers
Measuring the Impact of Property Insurance Premiums on the Mortgage Market
With Ralf Meisenzahl, Andy Polacek, and Shanthi Ramnath. Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Working Paper No. 2026-01, February 2026.
Presentations
“Analyzing for Buildability: Lessons from the Twin Cities’ Zoning Reforms”
YIMBYtown housing policy conference, 2025
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Research Assistant seminar
Undergraduate research on the local rental-price effects of new affordable housing, 2024
Education
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Ph.D. student, Real Estate and Urban Land Economics · Madison, WI · 2026–present
Macalester College
B.A., 2024 · St. Paul, MN · Major in Economics, minor in Music
Teaching
Course Preceptor, Macalester College Economics Department
St. Paul, MN · 2022, 2023
Teaching assistant for courses in urban economics and the economics of climate change. Helped develop the urban economics curriculum, delivered a course lecture, held weekly office hours, and graded coursework.
Experience
Research Assistant, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Chicago, IL · 2024–2026
Quantitative research support including data analysis, literature review, and statistical work.
Board Member, Sustain Saint Paul
St. Paul, MN · 2022–2024
Contributed to housing policy advocacy in St. Paul, including engagement with city planning processes and public testimony.
Awards
- Robert L. Bunting Prize in Economics, Macalester College Economics Department (2024)
- Third place, Minnesota Economics Association Undergraduate Student Paper Contest (2024)
- First place, editorial writing, Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists (2024)
- Second place, columnist category, Minnesota Newspaper Association, college division (2024)
About me
I graduated from Macalester College in 2024 with a major in Economics and a minor in Music. During my time in St. Paul, I became deeply engaged with Twin Cities housing policy, writing on these topics for a variety of local media outlets. I also had first-hand engagement with state and local public policy, serving as a board member with Sustain Saint Paul, interning with local community development organizations, and volunteering in support of multiple urbanist-oriented policy efforts.
I then lived in Chicago for two years working as a research assistant at the Federal Reserve. While I was in Chicago, I started Pencilling Out, a Substack about housing policy and urban economics.
My writing has often spanned three forms:
- research-focused writing looking at demographic trends, housing data, and academic research
- policy-focused writing making the case for specific reforms
- broader commentary on urban life
Featured Work
Get in Touch
I’m always interested in chatting about housing policy, urban economics, and data analysis. You can find me on Twitter/X and Bluesky at @zyudhishthu, or subscribe to Pencilling Out for my latest writing.
For professional inquiries, reach me at zyudhishthu@yahoo.com.
