Not sure how your anecdote is relevant to averages.

The article isn't making a claim about averages. It's saying you could rent - possible the average was higher.

Average is irrelevant anyway, since that includes extremely expensive apartments nobody needs.

  extremely expensive apartments nobody needs

Apartments nobody needs but that some people can afford. Which to me says the gap has become wider, not smaller.

I think at some point in this conversation everyone started to talk about different things.

Sounds like rent control

you can get pretty far away from the crazy prices and still be in NYC, with all the privilege of paying a municipal income tax.

Not sure, depends on neighborhood but definitely findable.

My point is that rent control doesn’t reflect inflation.