Mark Keenan: Rent controls simply don't work, they just cause more problems

"Rent Pressure Zones were meant to be a temporary measure to buy time so more housing could be built. Almost, 10 years on, they are still in place"

"Rent controls don't work. They just don't. Historically they didn't work in the former Soviet Union and they didn't work in New York nor in San Francisco."

"They're not working in Ireland either. For all the very same reasons."

Rent Pressure Zones were introduced as a temporary intervention to buy time for more housing construction. Nearly ten years later, the zones remain active. The position presented is that rent controls fail to achieve intended outcomes. Historical examples cited include the former Soviet Union, New York, and San Francisco. The same failures are asserted to apply in Ireland for identical reasons. The persistence of temporary controls without sufficient housing supply is portrayed as undermining policy goals and perpetuating rental market problems. A WhatsApp channel is offered for staying updated on related news.

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