I think it's when there's no (need for an) exit strategy for the people working for institutions set up for solvable problems (i.e. reducing the inflated housin

I think it's when there's no (need for an) exit strategy for the people working for institutions set up for solvable problems (i.e. reducing the inflated housing prices, restructuring other institutions) you get the self preservation effect. That's why for-profit, non-government/community anything is so terrible at solving problems. Charities spending 80% of the money you give them on marketing efforts. For-profit prisons in general. Self-regulation of most industries. The whole plastic recycling farce. Unless your institution is built with a real intent to solve a problem, and the people put in charge actually care, you get a self-serving institute. That doesn't just happen in private institutions either, corrupt governments accepting bribes and operating on nepotism also tend to set up useless institutions that just serve as job mills for friends or government officials. A group created to clean up trash in a city park will exist forever if the mayor hires their nephew to run it because he was too incompetent to find a job himself.