Progressive cities like New York are known for implementing rent controls. Wikimedia Commons Rent across the United States has continued to surge, and has become a major issue for the midterms this year along with the general cost of living. In many progressive strongholds such as Oregon, New York City, and California’s coastal metropolises, the response from local governments has been to restrict landlords from increasing rents in a policy known as rent control. These governments, however, apparently fail to listen to the vast majority of economists, ranging from conservatives like Milton Friedman to progressives like Paul Krugman, who agree that rent control is an economically disastrous policy. Although it may protect current tenants in the short-run, it turns any new leases or properties into massive liabilities for the landlords, becoming a supply-side disaster in the long-term. The National Apartment Association asserts that rent control introduces a load of incentives against increasing the supply of housing, in addition to properly maintaining the housing of current tenants. This is especially visible amongst landlords who are not massive owners of properties, also disincentivizing entry of new ones into the market. As a result, instead of building new housing that would be primarily rented by low-income earners, developers and landlords opt for high-end luxury condos or real estate that are out of reach for most tenants. And, regarding current tenants, many of them choose to stay for much longer terms after rent control is introduced, severely reducing mobility in the housing market. These adverse effects of the policy have been seen in cities from all around the world, regardless of the form they take. New York City’s rent control laws have predictably driven low-income tenants out of the city while protecting long-time tenants who pay the artificially lowered rates regardless of their income. In San Francisco, the supply of rental housing fell by 15% as many units were converted into luxury condos, creating one of the country’s worst housing shortages. Looking internationally, Sweden’s rent-controlled apartments have seen decades-long waiting lists, resulting in a thriving black market for rentals. In contrast, after Argentina repealed its rent control laws, a boom in supply ensued, significantly lowering monthly rents. But there are more ways to mend the housing market than the absence of rent control. Strict zoning laws across American cities similarly limit the supply of affordable units and favor luxury property development instead. These take the forms of parking minima, only allowing large single-family homes, and lengthy bureaucratic approval timelines. Not only do these restrictions make construction of affordable units for renters difficult, but they also result in externalities such as increased traffic due to the suburban sprawl and car-dependency in which they have resulted. As economists and cities across the world have shown, the answer to affordable housing is a freer market and less red tape.
By Edward Kim
It was the 1960s in Washington, D.C., and the Vietnam War was running rampant. Susan Sarandon, a college student at the time, had just attended her first anti-war protest, sparking a lifetime of political activism and standing up for her beliefs. Sarandon vehemently hated war and was very outspoken about it, also protesting the 2003 invasion of Iraq after she was well into her career. She made a name for herself not only in film, but also as a prominent figure in social and political activism. She even often intertwines the two. Some of her most iconic roles are, in and of themselves, political. In films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Thelma and Louise, and Dead Man Walking, Sarandon has defied the status quo and refused to stay silent in the face of public scrutiny. Many say actors shouldn’t get involved in politics, and to that Sarandon said, watch this. Susan Sarandon has been vocal about presidential elections, urging people to vote and backing certain candidates. However, she also was not afraid to criticize those she supports. All before 2010, she fought against Hollywood’s portrayal of homosexuality, served on the advisory committee for the activist group 2004 Racism Watch, and advocated to end the death penalty and mass incarceration. Sarandon hasn’t been afraid to make waves and stand up for her beliefs. Even today, at age seventy-nine, she continues to get out there and protest for what she believes in. Most recently, she was even detained while protesting Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrival in New York City on September 24, 2026. That, however, is not the first time she’s been arrested for protesting. Police detained her once in 1982 during a civil disobedience protest, in 1999 for protesting the police shooting of unarmed Amadou Diallo, in 2018 during a sit-in protesting the Trump administration’s immigration and border policies, and once again in 2023 while advocating for an increase in the minimum wage. Though Susan Sarandon has had many career-defining roles, no role defines her like her political activism. Some of this has been actively detrimental to her career, causing her to be dropped from her agency and essentially become blacklisted after speaking out in support of Palestine. I think public figures should get involved in politics; they should fight for what they believe in, and urge their audience to do the same. If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything. It’s imperative to question those in charge and stand up not only for yourself, but for your peers, your friends, your children, and our future.
By Madison Curd
Recently, the Civil War in Yemen has gained much attention, as the Iranian-backed Houthis disrupt ships in the Red Sea. Though this war has been going on for over twelve years now, what has received much less attention is how it has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Started by an insurgency led by Houthi terrorists in 2014, the Yemeni Civil War has resulted in the displacement and starvation of millions of civilians since then. This crisis has only worsened with Saudi Arabia’s ruthless bombings that killed hundreds, if not thousands, of civilians. Unlike the wars in Gaza and Iran, however, this war has not been the focus of virtually any large, organized protests or social movements among progressive activists in the West. As long as selective outrage continues while ignoring this crisis, the issue will only get worse.
By Edward Kim
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