> In a free rental market, you would see some current SF residents leave because they're not willing to pay market rates, but the market rate would drop as a re

> In a free rental market, you would see some current SF residents leave because they're not willing to pay market rates, but the market rate would drop as a result. timr has it right on the nose. The only way what you propose works is if that market (or nearby markets) is not supply-constrained.