I mean I guess I could have left it empty while I myself rented from someone? I don’t see how that’d make me a better person though.

I’m not really buying your argument. You’re not making any real argument of how I hurt anyone or even caused a net negative on society. You’re speculating that because I didn’t hand the house to someone “who needed it”, that I somehow did wrong. I didn’t price gouge. I didn’t raise the rent. I repair things in a timely manner. The renter pays less than they would if they bought the house, aren’t responsible for anything major, and can leave at just about anytime. Seems like a net positive in my book? Sure, they paid me… but am I supposed to give it away for free? Selling it probably would have landed me more money. Are you pitching a world where everyone has to lock in to a 30 year loan and be stuck there? Or is this an argument where housing should be free or something? (Sure, whatever… but that’s a different topic)

You aren’t saving people money by taking rental payments, you aren’t a hero for potentially stopping someone from using the property as an airbnb, you are a landlord.

I don’t think I’m a hero. I do think I’m saving them money. They could have foregone a rental and bought a house. They chose not to to save money for a business.