Main finding
Rent control increased stability for covered tenants, while affected landlords converted or redeveloped buildings and reduced the regulated rental supply.
Covered tenants were 10–20% more likely to remain; treated rental supply fell 15%
The Effects of Rent Control Expansion on Tenants, Landlords, and Inequality
Diamond, McQuade & Qian
Most important limitation
The often-cited 5.1% citywide rent increase is a structural-model estimate, not the direct reduced-form rent coefficient, and the policy is specific to San Francisco.
From the publication
Inspect the authors' figure directly
Figures 1a and 6a · Tenant and landlord responses
The paper separately traces covered tenants staying longer and renters leaving treated buildings.
REDRAWN FROM STUDY DATAFigures 1a and 6a · Tenant and landlord responses
| Outcome | 1994 expansion effect |
|---|---|
| Covered tenants remaining | 20 |
| Rental supply in treated buildings | -15 |
| Modeled citywide market rent | 5.1 |
How this study is used
Claims this evidence supports
Reference
Diamond, McQuade & Qian (2019). “The Effects of Rent Control Expansion on Tenants, Landlords, and Inequality.”