This is like the saying: Quality, speed, and affordability, pick two. Except with housing it is something like: affordability, quality, location, pick two. Are

This is like the saying: Quality, speed, and affordability, pick two. Except with housing it is something like: affordability, quality, location, pick two. Are people so dumb that they think simply buying any property is an investment? You have to be smart about it. You have to be willing to put work and money into the property to improve it. Housing CAN be affordable and a good investment. You just have to look at the right places. Also, it is supposed to be a long-term investment (30 years, traditionally). Not something you flip after a few years hoping the market has gone nuts and you luck into cashing out. That's speculation not investing. There is no way to regulate your way out of scarcity. If you tear down the regulations that are causing scarcity inventory will go up and prices will come down. Admittedly, that will probably impact what makes SF a desirable place to live (at least to the NIMBY types).