Yeah, a bit of nuance.... I only meant that I wouldn't price-gouge during a disaster assuming I was already advertising a room for rent.

But if I wasn't already looking for a tenant, I wouldn't offer it up during the disaster either... unless there was a significant reason to do so, financial or otherwise.  (Instead, i'd probably keep that room available for friends or family in need)



SimpleStacker

econ

Price gouging, then and now

Signal312

Good point. The whole "disaster" aspect of things adds a new dimension. 

I wonder if I would say that though, if I were trying to communicate my stance. Cause for me it's actually not true. 

If there were some disaster, and lots of people were desperate for housing, but I had a spare room, I actually would consider renting it out, and at a higher price than normal. Because otherwise, it wouldn't be worth it to me. 

But it's certainly understandable, at a gut level, that the immediate reaction is not, "Isn't it great that economic incentives have pushed people to provide more housing".

Instead, it's "That price-gouging scum, trying to make money off people's suffering!".

I don't know how to communicate it any better though. 