Cleveland Heights, Ohio

I’M a landlord in Lakewood, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb near where I live that is predominantly prewar apartment buildings and double houses. In Cleveland — and probably most of the Midwest — you can get a clean one-bedroom in a decent neighborhood for $500. No air-conditioning and no dishwasher, but the unit is painted and has refinished hardwood floors.

I once had a tenant, Stan, who paced those floors at 3 a.m., waking up the people below. When I asked Stan to ease up, he said: “What do you want from me? I can’t fly.”

He moved out shortly after that.

About 10 years later, he called and said: “Stratton, you remember me. I want to move back in.”

“Stan!” I said. “You complained about the guy across the hall blasting organ music. You complained about the people below you fornicating. You skipped on your final month’s rent. You painted the floor.”