I am considered a high risk because other banks have cut my credit lines (which throws off the DTIR) and started this downward spiral....I have no problem paying them off but I am frustrated to NO end because I pay on time EVERY MONTH.

May as well protect these people from themselves too because we all know that they rarely follow through on the purchase which just means they wasted even more money than they needed to and continued down the spiral of poor money management (this is not based on experience, just what I read about the reality of lease-options & odds of actually making the purchase).Anyway, feel free to tear my post apart but this is one view from outside the profession.

It causes a spiral of reduced availability and even higher rent for the few available units and deterioration of the units under rent control.

What if the market takes a down spiral and rents and appreciation both go down?

Do you see the death spiral that creates?

Where is the organic rent growth spiraling up fastest?

Inglewood is very hot right now, but with the spiraling prices, I would only be able to afford a serious "fixer" which isn't in my wheelhouse.  

But whatever it is, it leads to a downward spiral of property values in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

If and when interest rates go up and property values (and tax revenues) spiral down, I think Bay Area real estate investments (and governance) will become very unattractive for at least a few years.

It is usually a sense of neglect and resignation that leads to a downward spiral.