Rising gas prices after Iran responded to joint strikes by the U.S. and Israel in late February are causing U.S. drivers to feel the pinch at the pump, with a gallon of regular gas reaching a nationwide average of $4, according to AAA data. But the pain caused by higher energy prices risks spreading much further than the gas station, experts warn, and exacerbates an already suffering sector—that of affordable housing. After years of underbuilding and a spike in demand during the pandemic, the U.