Author: Roger Alford, Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame

Of all the reasons it could be hard to pay rent each month, did you have an algorithm-powered illegal cartel on your list? Millions of people across the United States are paying far more rent than they can reasonably afford, with rental housing prices rising far quicker than household income. In 2022, 22.4 million U.S. households were spending more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities, up from 20.4 million in 2019. Many of these households faced severe cost burdens, with an all-time high of 11.6 million struggling with housing costs that consume more than half of their…