Rents are up more than 30 percent in some cities, forcing millions to find another place to live

Aleksei Valentín and his husband, both doctoral students, recently downsized from a one-bedroom apartment in Frederick, Md., to a studio in a neighboring county in search of lower rents. Their previous building repeatedly hiked amenity fees during the pandemic, Valentín said, adding about $200 in extra charges to their monthly rent of $1,290. That apartment is now on the market for $1,600.