If rent freezes alone cannot solve the housing crisis, what actually makes housing affordable? In the final installment of the Housing Crisis series from Beyond the Headlines, we move beyond criticism to explore the leadership, policies, and long-term principles that help communities create lasting housing affordability. Through research, economics, and biblical wisdom, we examine how thoughtful leadership can build opportunity for future generations.

At the end of the first article, we asked a simple but important question: What happens when rent is frozen, but the cost of providing housing continues to rise? In this second installment of Beyond the Headlines, we examine the financial realities of operating rental housing, explore historical examples from New York, San Francisco, and Stockholm, and consider how good intentions can create unintended consequences when long-term incentives are overlooked.

New York City's rent freeze has sparked passionate debate across the political spectrum. While many view it as an important step toward protecting struggling families, others question whether it addresses the deeper issues driving housing affordability. In the final installment of the Housing Crisis series from Beyond the Headlines, we explore the history, economics, and leadership principles behind the policy and ask a simple but important question: Are we treating the symptom, or solving the problem?