as a renter you aren’t responsible for upkeep/changes to the home

Nobody likes big unexpected costs. That’s why landlords tend to offload the risk to PMCs, warranties, and insurance.

And then your rent pays for the monthly costs of all of that.

That would be true of landlords didn’t also know that and, in turn, redline rent to the maximum tenants can possibly pay.

I don’t know about the US specifically, but In Canada, investors big and small have bought up all the rental stock and rents are now maxed out beyond what many people can pay.