Housing was briefly mentioned in last week’s presidential debate, addressed solely by President Joe Biden and not by Donald Trump. Biden highlighted recent housing actions as evidence that his administration is addressing the affordability crisis, a significant issue for millions of Americans.
Mark Paul, an economist and assistant professor of economics at Rutgers, expressed support for Biden's remarks on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Biden et. al are finally taking the housing crisis seriously. Going on offense to increase supply AND cap rent increases is precisely the type of intervention we need to drastically improve housing affordability & stability.”
Paul and other academics and economists authored an open letter regarding rent control in late 2023, asserting that research shows rent caps benefit communities. The letter stated, “Through well-crafted policies, rent regulations can be designed in a manner that protects the general health and well-being of renters, promotes affordability, mitigates future inflationary episodes, and maintains landlords’ ability to receive a fair and reasonable return on their investment.”
