Raise property taxes? Those are usually a rounding error in a rental P&L (and it’s tax deductible)

The only way I see out of this mess is to ban ownership of SFH by anyone other than…single families as primary owners. Corporations, foreign owners, secondary homes, etc.

But we need to address other issues too: zoning (make Houston’s approach nationwide) and construction costs.

First two make sense ... rentals is really complex. How long are you willing to hurt those with the least amount of money.

Maybe a home owners break, and a second weaker first rental/vacation home break would match the current approach (and dodge more of the individuals who'd kill the legislation for for your idea. Alternately, a discount for occupied properties.

I was initially thinking corporate owned rentals or anyone with more than 2 properties, but the above seems cleaner.

Housing is such a unique thing that I think it should be treated differently when we talk in terms of 'capitalism', 'public services', etc. Everyone needs a house. Nobody can use more than one house simultaneously. Houses are incredibly expensive, but most of that cost is purely market-driven. Housing is, essentially, a zero-sum game.