Trump’s housing ban could backfire on renters

A Vox explainer argues that Trump’s bid to bar large institutional buyers from single-family homes is unlikely to fix the housing crunch. Institutional investors own a tiny share of US single-family homes and, by expanding the rental stock and improving operating efficiency, may actually help lower rents and reduce segregation. The broader housing crisis is driven more by scarcity, zoning, and underinvestment than by Wall Street speculation. Still, in some markets where ownership is concentrated, rents could rise, so the ban could have mixed or even adverse effects in practice. The piece suggests focusing on supply expansion and policy reforms to truly improve affordability.