>Economists agree that rent control is not the most profitable way to price housing I don't think that that's what economists are talking about when they say r

>Economists agree that rent control is not the most profitable way to price housing I don't think that that's what economists are talking about when they say rent controls "don't work". I think the consensus is more specifically that it is not an effective way to increase the total supply of affordable housing. For example, see this survey [0] of notable economists where 2% agreed that: >Local ordinances that limit rent increases for some rental housing units, such as in New York and San Francisco, have had a positive impact over the past three decades on the amount and quality of broadly affordable rental housing in cities that have used them. Reading through the economists' comments, the consensus seems to be: 1) helps incumbent renters by reducing pricing for them, 2) reduces total supply, 3) hurts non-rent-protected residents (mediated by 2). Possibly the answer is still "doesn't matter, achieved 1)", but I don't think it's fair to characterize it as a magical policy lever that only hurts profiteering landlords. [0] https://www.igmchicago.org/surveys/rent-control/ https://www.igmchicago.org/surveys/rent-control/