When it comes to stuff like housing, government regulations like zoning can stand in the way. If we had an unfettered market perhaps cheap apartments could be

When it comes to stuff like housing, government regulations like zoning can stand in the way. If we had an unfettered market perhaps cheap apartments could be built and given to the homeless by charity. In practice new housing that complies with all zoning codes, labor regulations, etc ends up costing quite a lot. Government certainly has a role to play here even if it is just changing policies to stop driving up costs. Of course governments also have eminent domain power and other powers that private organizations can’t access.