Is “rent control” the solution to rising housing costs?

As 2026 begins, cities across the country are once again turning to rent control as a supposed solution to rising housing costs. On December 29, 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported on Los Angeles adopting a major update to its rent stabilization rules, tightening the amount landlords can raise rents each year. The change applies to hundreds of thousands of older apartments and is framed as a way to protect tenants from sudden spikes in rent. Zack Smith, owner of Zach Smith Consulting, joins Newell to discuss the issue.