There is another group who support rent control – people who can afford to live in one of the desirable locations and wish to exclude their social inferiors. Anyone with even a basic understanding of economics and business knows that rent control suppresses construction of new apartments and limits the profitability of existing apartments (inducing owners to cut corners on maintenance which makes them less attractive to live in, and motivates renters to live in other communities). The effect is close to that of Green Lining, while permitting those who espouse rent control to engage in preening virtue signaling.