Apartments are for tesla owners

So many companies are taking advantage of the market to rent out cheaply made, half finished "luxury" apartment complexes at 2 or 3 times what they are worth. There are no affordable apartment complexes. As a college grad with an entry level office job I didn't know where to look for affordable options besides apartments. I ended up paying 70% of my income for a tiny studio apartment where the elevator and ac kept breaking and the local teenagers kept writing profanities in the constant construction dust from the unfinished units. While the 24/7 gym and reserved parking were nice (once they were done), I had a few hungry weeks, especially during the lockdown. I couldn't afford furniture, so sat on the floor while working from home.

I finally found out from friends that no one who can't afford a sports car rents apartments in this town. That explained all the teslas in the parking lot. My friends were all renting small single bedrooms in a townhome. Never would have thought to look there, but it is much more affordable. I've been doing that ever since, but it would be nice to afford a place where I don't need 3 roommates to get by though. I'm worn out from years of overcrowding, not being allowed to have a pet or a space to garden in, constant fighting over the thermostat, storage space, and turns in the bathroom. I cry a little every time I get a raise or promotion at work and realize that I still am about 20,000 per year short on being able to afford a mortgage for the cheapest townhomes. There's no end in sight.