As housing prices continue to soar out of reach for more Americans, an impulse from policy makers across the country has been to attempt to mandate “affordable” prices through legislation. One common idea is rent control, which limits how much landlords can increase rents on residents. A related one is inclusionary zoning, which forces developers...

Sitting astride the Fox River, the city of Geneva is home to a bustling downtown district in a state that’s notoriously tough on small businesses.