If you’ve hunted for apartments recently and felt like all the rents were equally high, you’re not crazy: Many landlords now use a single company’s software — which uses an algorithm based on proprietary lease information — to help set rent prices.
Federal prosecutors say the practice amounts to “an unlawful information-sharing scheme,” and some lawmakers throughout California are moving to curb it. San Diego’s city council president is the latest to do so, proposing a ban that would prevent local apartment owners from using the pricing service, which he maintains is driving up housing costs.
My city (ie city council) seems to be entirely bought out by corporate landlord interests
That is what happens when you (not you personally - you alone are nothing but when you get others with you involved you matter) don’t get involved. Voting is important but sometimes you have to run for office yourself (or convince someone good to run). You have to ignore party labels and vote for the person who gets the right things done.
Landlords, construction companies, fire fighters, and the police all have a tendency to get involved and push their interests above the real needs to the city.