I live in Manhattan and the cost of rents and housing has been increasing primarily through rent-seeking behavior which limits housing density creating an artif

I live in Manhattan and the cost of rents and housing has been increasing primarily through rent-seeking behavior which limits housing density creating an artificial scarcity in land leading to a high cost of living. Simply fixing the zoning density restrictions would reduce the rent-seeking or "market failure" and would lower the cost of living in NYC. See Harvard Economist Edward Glaeser's work for more details. Build Big, Bill http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/build-big-bill-article-1.1913739 http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/build-big-bill-article-1.... There is a NY State mandated minimum wage law that has been hurting many stores and has increased the cost of food in grocery stores, for instance. It was mandated to $11 / hr to $13 (today, I think) to $15. Thus, the real issue is the market failures in housing caused by politicians who limit the zoning density. The State, addressing the high cost of housing not by fixing the rent-seeking instead decided to increase minimum wage to a level that many independent establishments can no longer afford to stay in business.