Young renters are venting that the housing system rewards everyone except people like them, and that's a warning sign for policymakers banking on this generation's support.

• Longtime tenants pay a fraction of what new renters pay for the same size apartment, fueling resentment toward rent control systems.
• Renters say first-time homebuyer help is going to undocumented immigrants while young citizens get no similar support.
• Cities are spending huge sums building housing for homeless people with addiction issues, but many refuse to use it, leaving expensive units and shelters empty.
• Building subsidized housing in pricey coastal areas like Santa Monica and Malibu is seen as rewarding bad behavior rather than helping people get back on their feet.

Outlook: Expect growing political backlash from younger renters if cities keep funding homeless housing and immigrant homebuyer aid while rents stay unaffordable for everyone else.