I don’t disagree, but it’s not really about fair: it’s about what the expected standard of living is in NYC. NYC is historically a city of renters and roommates, and that is reflected in the split view between average “asking” rents ($3500) and actual rents ($~1700)[1].

This isn’t to say the city can’t or shouldn’t be more affordable. But the idea that everybody gets their own 1BR at average US rental prices is not immediately compatible with the city’s housing stock (or troubling trends, like dedensification).

[1]: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/spotlight-new-york-citys...

For big cities I disagree, was it ever standard for single people to be able to afford 1 bedroom?

People were able to afford places, but being single for majority of adult life is semi-new trend. Especially in very dense cities.

I do. At least if you want to live in the popular areas, New Yorkers who make 73k can choose to live in a 1 bd in a cheaper area if they prefer.

New American dream is a grown adult living with roommates like a child, and dying in a small box connected to a thousand other boxes that you’ll never even own.