One of the worst is southern California, home of the lion's share of film and TV talent (and that word is sometimes deceptive), as well as musicians and pro athletes.  When you consider the Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Chargers, Ducks, L.A. Kings, Clippers, and Lakers all operate in this area of the country, you can begin to draw the picture.

    Athletes who get paid millions of dollars per year, movie stars who earn $10-20 million per picture, can get any residence they want because THEY can afford it.  Unfortunately for Mr. and Mrs. Average American, this means that this "artificial economy", wherein there seems to be a huge amount of money available, but only to the select few, has the side effect of raising housing prices, and indirectly affects the total economic structure.  If housing costs so much, then insurance rates need to increase too, in order to provide decent coverage in case of a loss.  More high-priced cars are found in this area, which makes insurance rates skyrocket in order to replace these motorized palaces on wheels.  The area gets a bad rep for being a high operating cost sector for insurance companies, and rates balloon unreasonably.  In addition, more and more people become unable to afford insurance and have to let their coverage lapse.  Fewer people getting insurance means those that can still afford it have to pay more for it, which in turn causes more people to drop coverage, with the remaining insured people paying higher rates---and the downward spiral continues.

    People on government assistance in southern California are forced into residing in undesirable places because the amount of money that gets you a three bedroom home in the better part of town anywhere else can barely get you an outhouse in a war zone here.  This must stop, and if the salary guidelines listed on the previous pages are established, it WILL stop.  Housing must also be controlled because it's obvious that landlords will not curb their greed until the government watchdog bites them in the ass.  Here's my proposal for monthly apartment rates:

    1) Apartments newer than 10 years old: A maximum of $250 monthly per bedroom will be allowed as rent. Bathrooms, because of the cost of plumbing repairs that may arise, may be assessed a charge of $25 monthly per bathroom per apartment.  If a landlord opts to furnish utilities, he will be allowed to add the utility costs plus a 10% surcharge for handling.  For example, this would mean that a new 3-bedroom apartment with two baths would cost a maximum of $800 per month plus utilities.

     2) Apartments older than 10 years old will be limited to a maximum of  $200 monthly per bedroom, with the bathroom and utility charges remaining the same.  This means that a 3-bedroom, 2 bath apartment of this vintage would cost a maximum of $700 per month plus utilities.  NOTE: Because older structures require more upkeep, landlords of such properties will be allowed an extra $600 per year per unit to be spread in monthly increments towards repair costs.

     3) Homes will fall under a different category, but still be price-controlled, with no home able to be sold for more than $600,000 for a 3-bedroom, two bath home.  Homes having more than 3 bedrooms can be sold for $1,000 more per bedroom, and a swimming pool will also be chargeable at $1,000 extra.

     WHAT this means is that there will be no more $50 million dollar estates because no one would be able to afford them.  This will keep the cost of housing down, and anyone who so desires will be able to afford a home if they choose to buy one.  The lowered costs of housing will be like a domino effect on the prices of everything else, and the average citizen/resident will be able to live comfortably in a home or apartment, not in a cardboard box because he can't afford a place to live.

     This will be a boon to real estate owners, who will now find more of their properties rented because more people can afford them.  By the way, did I mention LAND SALES?  No, but here's how THAT will work: no land may be sold for more than $300 an acre, unless it has PROVEN natural resources.  Land known to be bearing minerals, natural gas, or oil, will top out at $1500 an acre, plus 5% of the buyer's profit going to the seller.

    Concurrently, as stated above, this affordable housing will help eliminate much of the current homeless situation, which is greatly affected by today's high real estate and apartment prices.