Rent Control Effects through the Lens of Empirical Research: An almost Complete Review of the Literature

39 Pages Posted: 9 Dec 2022

See all articles by Konstantin A. Kholodilin

Konstantin A. Kholodilin

German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin)

Date Written: December 2022

Abstract

Rent control is a highly debated social policy that has been omnipresent since World War I. Since the 2010s, it is experiencing a true renaissance, for many cities and countries facing chronic housing shortages are desperately looking for solution, directing their attention to controling housing rents and other restrictive policies. Is rent control useful or does it create more damage than utility? To answer this question, we need to identify the effects of rent control. This study reviews a large empirical literature looking at various aspects of rent controls. We conclude that rent controls are quite effective in terms of lowering housing rents or slowing their growth, but they also lead to a wide range of adverse effects affecting both landlords and tenants.

Keywords: Rent control, housing policy, empirical literature review

JEL Classification: K25, N90, R38

Suggested Citation

Kholodilin, Konstantin A., Rent Control Effects through the Lens of Empirical Research: An almost Complete Review of the Literature (December 2022). DIW Berlin Discussion Paper No. 2026, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4298178 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4298178

Konstantin A. Kholodilin (Contact Author)

German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) ( email )

Mohrenstraße 58
Berlin, 10117
Germany

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
681
Abstract Views
1,841
Rank
70,642
PlumX Metrics