It&#x27;s lots better than driving, but far, far, far worse than it could be.<p>I understand that designing and running a public transit system isn&#x27;t easy. Having said that, I wish that public transit was universally recognized as a <i>very</i> important public service and an excellent stimulator for a region&#x27;s economic growth. As it stands now, it seems that shortsightness and greed seriously impede the development of an effective system in the region.<p>In re: rent control: Remember that -in SF- rent control is actually rent stabilization. When a unit is vacated (or the last tenant on the original lease moves out), the landlord is free to set the price of that unit however he wishes.<p>Rent control was instituted in a time when rents were spiralling out of control. [0] AIUI, one of the reasons Prop 13 passed was that landlords made the claim that a dramatic cap in property tax increases would allow them to stop dramatically increasing rents; that the primary reason for the rent increases <i>was</i> property tax increases. Prop 13 passed, rents continued to spiral out of control, [1] and about a year later rent control was instituted. [2]<p>If it was the city&#x27;s policy to construct enough new housing to meet demand, I would agree that rent control had no place in the market. However, in the past five years, for every five people added to the city&#x27;s population, one new housing unit has been added. Even during the real estate boom from 2000 to 2008, the human population grew by ~2,700 units more than the housing population. [3][4]<p>[0] Much like now, heh.<p>[1] Surprise, surprise.<p>[2] For information on what cost increases landlords can recover from tenants in rent controlled units, see these comments: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=10150827" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=10150827</a> <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=10153973" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=10153973</a> For a big apartment construction project that managed to create a bunch of &quot;market rate&quot; units without removing rent controlled units, see this comment: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=10150724" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=10150724</a> (Frankly, the city should be trumpeting this deal every chance it gets. <i>This</i> sort of thing is what&#x27;s going to solve the rent crisis.)<p>[3] This is a <i>HORRIBLE</i> way to phrase this, but I can&#x27;t word right now. If it doesn&#x27;t make sense, I&#x27;m happy to clarify.<p>[4] Citation for these numbers is the Paragon Real Estate graphs found in this article: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;sf.curbed.com&#x2F;archives&#x2F;2015&#x2F;02&#x2F;04&#x2F;sfs_population_is_growing_way_faster_than_its_housing_stock.php" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;sf.curbed.com&#x2F;archives&#x2F;2015&#x2F;02&#x2F;04&#x2F;sfs_population_is_g...</a>