Arbitrary rent? No, the market rate.

And yes, if you’re living in a rent controlled place and paying $1000 per month when the same place is going for $3000, it’s virtually a cash transfer from the landlord to you every month.

That’s why you hear about massive ($100k+) buyouts in SF.

It's only fair to pay market rate rent as a tenant if the landlord pays market rate property taxes. Why should the state subsidies the landlord and not the tenant?

It's mind blowing how landlords forget that the reason the vast majority of them can afford to be a landlord is because they don't pay market rate property taxes.

This is wrong. Because the landlords are still making money. If they were renting at a cost they would have sold their places a long time ago.

No, if they stopped making money they would convert to owner occupied as imputed rents are not controlled. Which is what happened.

I know several landlords who are net negative on their rent. Why did they buy? For the expected appreciation.

And that’s why housing shouldn’t be an investment