That's a good point. You see this in western countries w/ the housing crisis: fighting NIMBY groups is politically dangerous and creates powerful enemies. Plus

That's a good point. You see this in western countries w/ the housing crisis: fighting NIMBY groups is politically dangerous and creates powerful enemies. Plus liberalizing development policy like zoning = municipal gov loses power to control which developers get juicy contracts. So instead they enact rent-control. Which famously in 1970s NYC/Toronto caused a significant increase in housing shortage because no one wanted to invest in new properties for fear they'll also be rent controlled in the future. No one did renovations either so existing stock went into disrepair. Some of them simply burned down their own buildings because they were too expensive to maintain, which was a major cause behind the famous pictures of Harlem looking like a warzone in the 80s. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59af5625a803bb43462899e4/1510609463847-6JZTNWI4RTLDF7MLZK20/filmvacation-new-york-1980s-lucas-compan-13.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59af5625a803bb... I was just reading the website for the new (projected) mayor of Toronto and, surprise, no mention of reform. But she is planning to launch a campaign for city wide rent control. Some things never change.