I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Planning and Housing (PLANH) group at IGD. My academic background bridges geography and urban planning: I hold a PhD in Geography from the University of Bern, an MSc in Urban Planning from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, and an MSc in Human Geography from the University of Amsterdam.

Having a background in human geography, my research focuses on the role of spatial planning to mitigate societal challenges including urban growth, housing affordability and climate adaptation. I am particularly interested in spatial conflicts within urban environments, and how these are politically negotiated within planning processes.

In my PhD research I analyzed processes of densification in relation to urban greening policies to understand how planning can contribute to denser and greening cities. I conducted case studies in Switzerland and the Netherlands.

My research has furthermore revolved around critically analyzing the socio-environmental inequalities resulting from sustainability policies, applying concepts such as environmental justice, green gentrification and urban (green) commons through case studies in Lisbon (Portugal) and Bern (Switzerland).

In my research, I understand planning as a political activity through which actors exercise power to pursue (spatial) interests. I am particularly interested in understanding the role of property rights and landownership patterns to understand the outcomes of urban development.

Research interests

• Planning, land policy and urban governance
• The politics of greening cities
• Densification as public policy
• Political ecology, environmental justice, and commons in cities

Selected publications

• Verheij, J., Hengstermann, A. & Gerber, J.D. (2025). 'Land Policy in Switzerland: A Renewed Interest in Public Landownership to Support Land-Use Planning'. In Land Policies in Europe, edited by Thomas Hartmann, Andreas Hengstermann, Mathias Jehling, Arthur Schindelegger, and Fabian Wenner. Springer Nature Switzerland, 2025.
• Verheij, J., Gerber, J. D., & Nahrath, S (2024). 'Commoning the Compact City: The Role of Old and New Commons in Urban Development'. Geoforum 152: 104019.
• Verheij, J., Ay, D., Gerber, J. D., & Nahrath, S. (2023). Ensuring Public Access to Green Spaces in Urban Densification: The Role of Planning and Property Rights. Planning Theory & Practice, 24(3), 342–365.
  
• Verheij, J., & Corrêa Nunes, M. (2020). Justice and power relations in urban greening: can Lisbon's urban greening strategies lead to more environmental justice? Local Environment, 26(3), 329–346.