[trevwilson]

I don't disagree that more housing supply is broadly the best way to combat rising rent, but if the numbers cited in the linked article are even close to true then I don't think it's surprising to think their software could meaningfully impact the market (for high-density housing at the very least):

> The collaboration "amounts to a District-wide housing cartel," Schwalb said, noting that "well over" 30 percent of buildings with five or more units use RealPage's software, along with 60 percent of 50-unit-plus buildings. Across a wider Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area, more than 90 percent of units in large buildings are subject to RealPage pricing, according to Schwalb's office.

[testfoobar]

Using a third party to set a community wide price level is something to carefully examine in court. Because such a setup could be used as a price fixing cartel with extra steps and plausible deniability for all parties.

[davidw]

Yes, it should be interesting to hear what comes out.

I'm not here to defend them. It's possible that, at the margin, their system helps gouge renters a few percentage points. They should be stopped from doing that.

But the broad wins are still with abundant housing.

As with much else, it's not either or... build more, and put a stop to this kind of thing if they find they are able to manipulate markets.