ehehehheehhe the american economy is getting worse lolz

i live in the rural US, however, i live in the largest city in this very rural state. recently, my partner and i renewed our lease in our apartment for 14 months, which is great! we love the location, and we are just about 3 blocks outside of the historic downtown. 

BUT, here is evidence that the economy will be getting worse before it gets better. when we originally signed, the complex required 3.5 times the rent, equating to around 5,000 a month. now, during resign, they require TWO TIMES the rent. barely more than 2500 monthly. this is fucking insane. the area is more popular now than ever, and the location is only increasing price wise for every other complex. although the "3 times the rent" rule is very American and also very arbitrary and based upon ideas of personal finance that cannot be continued in the modern day, to have something go from 3.5 to TWO TIMES the rent is ASTOUNDING. that means that this apartment complex expects and allows their tenants to spend 50 percent of their income on rent each and every month. this is concerning because its such and odd and unprecedented change. i asked if we were being asked to make two times the rent simply because we were renewing, to which they said it was the NEW STANDARD for all of the apartments/homes that they were renting. 

i don't know how to feel about this...it feels like a bad omen.