Perverse Effects of Rent-Control
27 July 2006
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
Laurance Kaufman correctly argues that landlords are not by nature villainous (Letters, July 27). Nevertheless, NYC's rent-control regulations are singularly adept at inspiring landlords to abuse tenants. Consider that regulators are more likely to permit an owner of a rent-stabilized apartment to raise rent significantly if a new tenant is about to lease the apartment than if the apartment continues to be leased by its existing tenant. Is it surprising that this perverse situation frequently prompts landlords to mistreat their tenants?
Landlord villainy is an artifact of NYC's pernicious rent-control regulations.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
Laurance Kaufman correctly argues that landlords are not by nature villainous (Letters, July 27). Nevertheless, NYC's rent-control regulations are singularly adept at inspiring landlords to abuse tenants. Consider that regulators are more likely to permit an owner of a rent-stabilized apartment to raise rent significantly if a new tenant is about to lease the apartment than if the apartment continues to be leased by its existing tenant. Is it surprising that this perverse situation frequently prompts landlords to mistreat their tenants?
Landlord villainy is an artifact of NYC's pernicious rent-control regulations.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Sunday April 22, 2007 at 6:02pm