The 7 Myths of Rent Control

Rent control has been losing the public perception battle. This circumstance comes as no surprise given that corporate money and profits align with property owners and real estate investors. San Diego poverty law attorney Parisa Ijadi-Maghsoodi provides a concise rebuttal to some of the most common public perceptions about rent control—what she calls the "myths" of rent control: 

Myth 1: Rent control is illegal. 

 Fact: Rent control is legal and an effective tool to address housing affordability.

Myth 2: Rent control decreases the housing stock by disincentivizing new housing construction.

 Fact: Rent control has no impact on new construction because it does not apply to new construction.

Myth 3: Rent control causes the rental stock to decrease because rent control units will be converted to condominiums.

 Fact: Ordinances restricting condominium conversions protect the stock of rental units under rent control.

Myth 4: Rent control hurts tenants.

 Fact: Rent control helps tenants. Rent control studies are funded by real estate developments, investors, and corporate apartment owner associations, and their own data supports the effectiveness of rent control.

Myth 5: Rent control is not needed, building market rate units will solve the housing crisis.

 Fact: Building market rate units without effective tenant protection ordinances exacerbates the housing crisis.  

Myth 6: Rent control incentivizes tenants to remain tenants, rather than become homeowners invested in their communities.

 Fact: Society has traditionally favored homeowners over tenants primarily because homeowners intend to reside in and better their community, and rent control furthers these goals.

To match these "myths," in her article, Ijadi-Maghsoodi provides 7 recommendations for additional measures to stabilize rental housing and protect families. For Ijadi-Maghsoodi's reasoning and authority for her conclusions, please read the source article.