What's the biggest driver of housing cost. Seriously? Taxes. Taxes are often tied to regulations which LIMIT the number of units or what kind of units can be built. Taxes force the price several hundred dollars higher per month. I pay just under six grand on my house, roughly 200 dollars a month for taxes. If I were renting my house I would have to be forced to have a lease which would cover that and of course like any good capitalist, I must oppress the working class and tack on a bit for profit because AC repairs/replacements, plumbing, window replacements, etc., are expensive. However, when people DO rent it's pretty much the going rate that they charge just over their mortgage payment and taxes because the market will not bear anything higher.
We are looking at another housing collapse that will make the 2008 mortgage crisis look like a walk in the park. We have over 6(?) Million people on deferment due to the Scamdemic. We have another 4 Million 90 days past due on their rent. That doesn't include the people who are eeking by with their mortgage or paying a slightly reduced rate. it does not include people who are LESS than 90 days overdue on rent. So a conservative estimate is say half you're looking at 5 million people suddenly homeless when the SCAMDEMIC comes to an abrupt end.
Building of new units has been crippled because builders cannot get the materials they need to finish. This runs up cost. So a 200K starter home is going to have to go for at least 240 - 260K.
Tack on all the unnecessary inflation created due to the STIMULAS 1,2,3,and now 4evah, you're looking at people who at the beginning of the scamdemic who were once ok now going to struggle to meet basic needs and perhaps downsize. What you are witnessing is the beginning of the "Great Reset." You wanted wealth redistribution, well this is what it looks like: everyone pretty much broke except for Bezos, Gates and a few others.