I think it depends on the area. Some places near me have very limited rentals available yet if you search airbnb in those areas they have way more. Airbnbs for a house can charge what a weeks rent is per night. The owner only needs to have people in the house for 2 months to make the same they would renting it out. When i first moved out of home rent prices jumped 50-100% in 2 years. I'm not sure what caused it but since then rents haven't jump as much but are still very high. Rent used to be maybe 30% at most of wages now its 60%+. Of course theres more factors involved than just the landlords but airbnbs have helped pump rent prices up due to lack of supply. My single mother working part time was able to buy a house when I was younger, now dual income families can't afford that. Some people out there don't work and get money solely from owning houses and renting them out, decreasing supply for other people, increasing prices. The housing crisis, which is worldwide, is a multi-faceted issue which can be (over)simplified and explained by one word. Greed.