Rent control according to Seinfeld |
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| Authors: | Shane Sanders Andrew Luccasen Abhinav Alakshendra |
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| Institution: | 1. Falk College of Sport & Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, New York, Syracuse, USA;2. Department of Business, Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, Mississippi, USA;3. Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Center for International Design and Planning, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA |
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| Abstract: | More than 30 years after its premiere, Seinfeld continues its run as a seminally popular television show. On October 1, 2021, five-year streaming rights to the show were purchased by Netflix for $500 million. Set in New York City, where rent control laws have a long history, several episodes of the show consider the trials of apartment living, including shortages, tastes for discrimination by sellers, bribery, search costs, and quality degradation. Seinfeld also illustrates the informal process through which rent-controlled apartments are advertised (e.g., less advertising under rent control shortage). This paper argues that popular media can be used as an effective pedagogical tool in learning. This paper analyzes four episodes of Seinfeld to help students identify and differentiate the very real costs of rent control. The paper also guides students to appreciate the difficulty in crafting a policy that is free of unintended consequences. |
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