Go read about things like rent maximizer from yardi then come back. Another reason people can't afford to buy housing is because companies like these enable apartment complexes to collude on pricing under the guise of software. Rent is higher than a mortgage payment in some places, and folks can't afford to pack any savings away. So they rent until they fall behind, then they rent something less ideal, then they leave the area or live out of their car. Either way it's garbage. The only reason I could afford my home is because I managed to find a private renter who was charging significantly below market rate for years so that I could build a down payment, and I managed to buy at the right time. Two years after closing the 'value' of my home jumped 60% and I would have been priced out, it's all just bullshit.

Maybe instead of going around our elbow to get to our asshole we should just call a spade a spade and make rent 'optimization' illegal. Then once people can actually afford a home we'll have a better picture of how many should be built. Because ultimately? People just want to be able to live without the stress of bills and the looming worry of maintaining a roof over their heads.