Family Rent Subsidies?

Today's BeyondChron discusses the concept of family rent subsidization as a way to keep families in San Francisco,

For all of the political talk and media stories about families with children leaving San Francisco, no action has been taken to stem this trend. This could change tomorrow, as the Budget Committee of the Board of Supervisors considers a proposal by Supervisor Chris Daly to devote $5 million from the city’s current year surplus to help families pay the rent. The rent subsidy program would immediately help struggling families stay in San Francisco, and also allow families living in overcrowded units, shelters or in SRO’s to obtain suitable housing. The city’s political leadership appears strongly supportive of the rent subsidy plan, but with competing proposals for street repair, parks maintenance, and more police officers, the needs of San Francisco’s low-income families could once again get lost in the shuffle.

Let us stop for one moment and recognize that we already have in place what may be the world's largest non-governmental rent subsidy program. It's called RENT CONTROL.

Don't get me wrong, this rent subsidy might be a great idea, and I am 100% for finding logical (!) ways to keep families in San Francisco, but let's not forget that right now it's those 'EVIL' landlords that are subsidizing tens of thousands of families' rent each and every month. Somehow Daly and the article's author forgot to remind everyone of that.