DEATH OF
HOUSING
SUPPLY
Rent control is promoted as a solution to housing affordability, but in reality, it’s a DEATH KNELL—a policy that leaves communities worse off than before. What begins as a promise to protect renters ends in economic and social devastation.
Rent control doesn’t just fail—it actively harms housing supply, affordability, and quality.
Rent Control is Not a Solution.
Bleeds Local Economies
Hurts People It Claims to Help
Rent Control Destroys Housing Supply
Rent control decimates the housing supply by removing incentives to build and maintain rental units.
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Landlords Exit the Market: Conversions to condos and owner-occupied homes permanently remove rental units.
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Developers Stop Building: Future rent caps drive developers away, halting new projects and leaving communities with fewer options.
The Verdict: Rent control doesn’t just limit housing—it leaves supply dead on arrival.
Rent Control Makes Housing More Expensive
Rent control creates scarcity, & scarcity drives up costs.
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Rents Rise Elsewhere: In uncontrolled markets, limited supply causes rents to increase, leaving most renters paying more.
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Ownership Costs Soar: Pushed out of the rental market, landlords sell, driving home prices higher and locking families out of ownership.
The Verdict: Rent control doesn’t fix affordability—it makes housing more expensive for everyone.
Rent Control Destroys Housing Quality
Rent control condemns housing to decay by starving landlords of the resources needed to maintain it.
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Deferred Maintenance: Without enough revenue, landlords delay repairs, leading to unsafe and deteriorating conditions.
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Neighborhood Decline: Entire communities suffer as neglected buildings reduce property values and livability.
The Verdict: Rent control is a slow death for housing quality, leaving tenants in crumbling homes.
Rent Control Bleeds Local Economies
Rent control isn’t just a housing policy—it’s an economic disaster.
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Jobs Disappear: Fewer developments mean fewer opportunities in construction, real estate, and related industries.
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Tax Revenues Plummet: Declining property values and reduced investment shrink the tax base, cutting funding for schools and infrastructure.
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Public Budgets Strain: Deteriorating housing demands higher enforcement costs, stretching resources thin.
The Verdict: Rent control doesn’t just harm housing—it kills local economies and weakens communities.
Rent Control Hurts the People It Claims to Help
Rent control is a false promise to low-income renters.
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Benefits the Wealthy: Higher-income tenants often occupy rent-controlled units, leaving fewer affordable options for families in need.
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Locks Renters in Place: Tenants stay stuck in units that no longer suit their needs, preventing new renters from accessing housing.
The Verdict: Instead of protecting renters, rent control deepens inequality and blocks opportunity.
THE SOLUTION
Build More Housing
The only proven way to solve the housing crisis is to build.
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Increased Supply Stabilizes Rents: More homes mean lower prices and greater choice for renters.
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Economic Growth Follows Development: New housing creates jobs, boosts local economies, and generates tax revenue for public services.
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Private Investment Improves Quality: Encouraging housing development ensures safe, well-maintained homes for all.
The Verdict: Rent control kills housing—building more housing is the solution that saves it.
