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by bubblethink 1549 days ago
>the only way I can think to do that is through rent control and special housing programs.

This is a part of the problem. Rent control is such a half assed solution that makes everything illiquid and worse for anyone not already locked into a good deal. It's similar to the deal that incumbents have in ownership. Look at SF. Rent control or not, you will have to pay 3k+ for a 1 BR in a 100 year old building with no appliances, poor heat, and no parking. Only people who have been living in rent controlled apartments for their whole lives have a good deal. It doesn't facilitate liquidity at all.
1 comments
ryanSrich 1549 days ago
Yeah I probably misused rent control there. I didn’t mean anything specific, or to imply the way it currently exists. It could even be as simple as the government subsidizing housing for critical workers. Doesn’t have to rent control for everyone.
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zbrozek 1549 days ago
Anything you subsidize gets more expensive due to supply, demand, and availability of money. We see the same inflation in college tuition (cheap loans), home prices (mortgage subsidies), and health care (myriad things, but e.g. pre-tax HSA accounts).

Rent control breaks the market and subsidies pour fuel on the dumpster fire. There is exactly one good way out and it's making it easier to build.

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