In socialist countries. In the Soviet Union, rent was 2% of take home pay. Many of these countries started out poor, so the housing quality may have been commeasurate with the development of the country. In the US, as a material issue, we could easily provide decent affordable housing to everyone by destroying the market and having the public march in and build.

One system that is being tried in some region in China is you buy your house from the government and sell it back. This keeps things democratic and market free. Landlords should be cast into the dustbin of history.