Yeah, rent control worked so well for New York. Massachusetts (!) voters in a referendum question outlawed rent control about a decade ago, much to the chagrin of the Democratic ruling classes. Guess what? Boston’s still there.
People in my native city (NY, NY) have an almost religous fervor about rent control. If there was ever an insane economic policy, rent control is it.
NOTHING provides a crash-course in economics and/or the unintended consequences of tampering with markets like the study of rent control. Seriously, you can learn SO MUCH reading on this subject. Hazlitt (sp), Williams, Sowell, Friedman — they’ve all written extensively on RC, and its effects. Who would have thought that rent control in expensive Manhattan could lead to ZERO!!!!! low rent units being built in NY city over the course of SIXTY YEARS!!!!!???? And all because of rent control.