I'm astounded that someone could read TFA, as I'm sure you did, and come away with that summary. Because it's the summary I might come up with if I read only the headline and was in a hurry to let the world view my hot take.
You can't image where the connection to company towns could come from in an article about people renting from their employers?
You didn't read the article. The homes are for sale, not for rent.