Matthew Freedman

Matthew Freedman is the Dean’s Professor of Economics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and serves as Executive Director of the California Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) and Chair of UCI’s School of Social Sciences Executive Committee. His research focuses on urban economics, public finance, labor economics, environmental economics, and the economics of crime. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Maryland-College Park.

His work examines topics such as transportation equity, place-based policies, criminal justice system efficiency, and the long-term impacts of historical industrial interventions. Notable contributions include experimental analyses of free public transit, the effects of housing policies on urban inequality, and the evaluation of tax incentives for economic development. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed articles in top journals like the American Economic Journal, Journal of Urban Economics, and Review of Economics and Statistics.

Freedman’s research often combines quasi-experimental and randomized controlled trial (RCT) methodologies, with a focus on policy-relevant questions. His current projects investigate rapid rental assistance programs, transportation subsidies, and the socioeconomic impacts of Opportunity Zones. He co-edits Regional Science and Urban Economics and collaborates with institutions like the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and the Russell Sage Foundation.