Americans urge for rent control as housing prices surge: AP

Tents housing the homeless line the sidewalk of a street in downtown Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Sept. 8, 2022. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

"Where is the American dream of being able to live, to enjoy?" the report citing a tenant as saying.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Americans were urging voters to pass a ballot measure to limit rent increases, as U.S. housing prices surge, the AP reported recently.

Tenants are afraid that they would be priced out of the city where they grew up, the report said.

With rental prices skyrocketing and affordable housing in short supply, inflation-weary tenants in cities and counties across the country are turning to the ballot box for relief.

In some cities, rents jumped 25 percent between 2020 and 2021, and experienced another double-digit increase this year. Some tenants even were faced with rent increases upwards of 100 percent.

Opponents, led by the real-estate industry, say rent control will lead to higher prices for tenants in housing not covered by rent caps, harm mom-and-pop landlords relying on rental income for retirement, and discourage the construction of badly needed affordable housing.

"Where is the American dream of being able to live, to enjoy?" the report citing a tenant as saying.