So as to not remove the incentive to build new apartments, in San Francisco, rent control only applies to units built before 1978.
The SF rent control law (like the CA Prop 13) does allow rents to increase, but very slowly. It would be possible to have both without as strong of adverse consequences by changing the ceiling at which both are permitted to increase.
> So as to not remove the incentive to build new apartments, in San Francisco, rent control only applies to units built before 1978.
Indeed! It's also worth mentioning that this has had the perverse side-effect of encouraging people to find any and every way possible to block the removal of old buildings.
Which is to say that the incentive to build new apartments has been matches with tools designed to prevent exactly that.
The SF rent control law (like the CA Prop 13) does allow rents to increase, but very slowly. It would be possible to have both without as strong of adverse consequences by changing the ceiling at which both are permitted to increase.