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That’s exactly what the article author expected to do, they said they wanted to make their rental properties more expensive. No one’s installing anything in a rental unit out of the goodness of their heart. They’re literally seeking rent. At least they should be expected to keep up their end of the bargain.

the "the house is burning down and firemen will die" discount,

along with

the "oops I dropped the hair dryer in the sink and died without ground faults" discount

Or the "the microwave blew a fuse that killed my work computer, so I lost my job" discount

the "the pilot light doesn't work well, so carbon monoxide" discount.

The "stairwell is only loose here" discount, "the deck is fine for 2 people to stand in that corner" discount

We should have higher standards for "investment" operations than 30 years out of safety standards

New built housing already has to comply with the latest codes. Having slightly higher rent is worth it for safety.

Perhaps. But this stuff does raise the minimum amount it takes to build, which in turn makes developers less likely to invest in building affordable housing.