I asked ChatGPT to write a sitcom about…rent stabilization

Today, the Montgomery County Council will vote on whether to cap how much landlords can raise rents. It’ll be the first time the county has had rent stabilization since the 1980s, but it’ll join DC, which currently has a cap of 6% for buildings built before 1976, and Prince George’s County, which passed a temporary 3% cap earlier this year. This is the culmination of months of debate on how to control rising rents, which began with two different bills proposing a stricter limit and a less-strict one before the council’s housing committee struck a compromise.

Council President Evan Glass says today’s discussion could go on all day, so to pass the time, I fired up ChatGPT and asked it to write a sitcom about rent stabilization. Here’s what it came up with.

Title: “Stabilizing Laughs”

Synopsis: “Stabilizing Laughs” is a heartwarming sitcom set in a quirky, rent-stabilized apartment building in a bustling city. Follow the lives of diverse residents as they navigate the challenges of city living, forging unexpected friendships, hilarious misunderstandings, and the occasional tangle with their eccentric landlord. With rent stabilization at the heart of the plot, each episode brings comedic situations and heartwarming moments that highlight the importance of community and sticking together.

Main Characters:

• Jake: A laid-back musician struggling to make ends meet, always on the hunt for the next gig.
• Lisa: An ambitious young professional, balancing a demanding career and the challenges of city life.
• Mr. Jenkins: The elderly, quirky landlord, committed to keeping the building’s rent stable, but sometimes fumbling along the way.
• Lily: A free-spirited artist, whose creativity sometimes leads to chaos within the building.
• Carlos: A charming foodie, running a small restaurant downstairs, where the residents often gather.

Episode 1: “The Great Apartment Swap”

• Jake and Lisa, neighbors with opposite schedules, decide to swap apartments to better suit their needs.
• Chaos ensues when Lisa’s strict organizational systems clash with Jake’s casual mess.
• Meanwhile, Mr. Jenkins accidentally double-books the same apartment, leading to hilarious confusion when two prospective tenants show up.

Episode 2: “Rent-Controlled Pests”

• Lily’s art project goes awry, leading to a minor infestation of critters in her apartment.
• The residents band together to find a solution, but every attempt at pest control seems to backfire comically.
• Carlos takes the opportunity to experiment with a new pest-themed dish at his restaurant, leading to mixed reactions from the residents.

Episode 3: “The Rent Strike”

• The city announces plans to lift rent stabilization, leading the residents to go on a comedic rent strike.
• As tensions rise, Jake and Lisa find themselves caught in the middle, trying to navigate between their friends and Mr. Jenkins.
• Ultimately, they all discover that standing together as a community has a stronger impact than going it alone.

Episode 4: “Tenant Talent Show”

• To raise funds for building repairs, Mr. Jenkins organizes a talent show for the residents.
• Jake’s band, Lisa’s dance routine, Lily’s performance art, and Carlos’s stand-up comedy add to the hilarity.
• Unexpected talents emerge from the most unlikely sources, proving that everyone has something to offer.

Episode 5: “The Great Lease Debate”

• Mr. Jenkins faces opposition from a neighboring landlord who wants to raise rents to maximum levels.
• Jake, Lisa, Lily, and Carlos join forces with other tenants in a humorous debate at the city council meeting.
• The group discovers a long-lost clause in the building’s original lease that might help them maintain rent stabilization.

Episode 6: “Neighbors Day Out”

• The residents plan a day trip to relieve the stresses of city living.
• Hilarious misadventures ensue as they get lost, encounter wacky roadside attractions, and learn more about each other.
• The day ends with a heartwarming realization of how much they mean to one another.

“Stabilizing Laughs” is a heartwarming sitcom that not only provides laughs but also promotes the value of community, friendship, and the importance of standing up for what’s right. Through the ups and downs of city living, the residents learn that, in the end, it’s the people around them that truly make a place feel like home.

We support rent stabilization in Montgomery County, but only as part of a bigger solution that also addresses our housing shortage: the county needs to build 3,200 homes each year for the next 20 years to catch up with population growth. To do that, we need to make it easier to build more homes, including deeply affordable homes, and we’ve outlined some of those solutions here. Here’s hoping the County Council starts pursuing those things after today’s vote.