Raise the bar, not lower it

There's a bill in the Colorado Legislature which would allow cities and counties in Colorado to impose rent controls. At a time when the housing market is already desperately challenged, it does not make sense to impose rent controls, which have repeatedly been shown to result in property owners not maintaining their rental units or converting them to condos and getting out of the rental market.
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_8104624

It would make more sense to have local governments step up to the plate and require the buildings in their communities be constructed of masonry, which would reduce maintenance costs for property owners and improve the quality of the buildings in the entire community. What elected official in their right mind would say "I want decaying buildings in my town" instead of "Let's give the residents the quality they deserve."