Human Rights Commission calls for rent controls

Stuff reports:

Capping rent prices in the wake of big natural disasters and a warrant of fitness on all rental properties are among Human Rights Commission (HRC) recommendations to the Government prompted by the Canterbury earthquakes.

The HRC today releases a report that considers the human rights challenges that emerged during the quake recovery.

The Human Rights Commission may have legal expertise but I don’t think they have economic expertise.

If you put  a freeze on rents after a disaster, then that will help ensure that new properties are not built and/or rented out. It will lead to even greated reduced supply and homelessness.