Scapegoating Rent Control: Masking the Causes of Homelessness (Nov 2007)
Scapegoating rent control: masking the cause of homelessness
By Richard P. Appelbaum, Michael Dolny, Peter Dreier and John I. Gilderbloom. Published online in the Journal of the American Planning Association on 12 April 2007
Abstract:
While many analysts contend that a shortage of affordable housing is a principal cause of homelessness, one recent well-publicized study argues that housing shortages themselves —and hence homelessness— are ultimately the result of ill-conceived local rent controls.
This study, conducted by William Tucker, has been widely cited by opponents of rent control as a justification for limiting the ability of localities to regulate rents.
The research presented in this article is a re-analysis of Tucker's data that corrects for methodological shortcomings in the original analysis.
The research shows that there is no evidence to support Tucker's conclusion that rent control causes homelessness.
Keywords: rent control, homelessness, US
Rent regulation has a long history and it has been research and documented. This provides opportunities for solid and evidence-based journalistic accounts of recent and current rent regulation initiatives.
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