Perhaps my view is too California-centric, but IMHO the biggest parasites are the rent seekers of homeowners and landlords.
Those are the folks who benefit the most and who also control the process.
Those are the folks who benefit the most and who also control the process.
How are home owners "rent seekers"?
The root cause of what you're talking about is demand is exceeding supply, by quite a long way. The population is growing - through various means - faster than homes are being created. That means a few home owners will do what you describe.