Luskin’s Michael Manville discussed rent conrol on the California Insider Show, examining its effects on tenants and landlords across California. While rent control can help limit year-to-year increases, housing costs have continued to outpace inflation, underscoring the need for alternative solutions to affordability in Los Angeles.

“The more you turn the clamps with the rent control law, the more you give people incentives to be the worst version of themselves,” Manville says. While rent control laws can provide temporary aid for certain renters, housing costs have not kept up with inflation in California.

“Rent control can be a reliable way to prevent big rent increases from happening year to year, but it isn’t necessarily a good path to actually make housing affordable,” Manville explains.

Manville also argues that population growth is not effective to infer need for more housing. He suggests approaching housing the same way businesses look at prices to assess demand.