The 'American Spirit' reconfirmed in an unusual circumstance

I hear a lot of talk that our country is in decline or we don't compete as well as we used to. My career takes me to some questionable neighborhoods in the city of Cleveland that really makes me question that myself. But what I found in this East Cleveland apartment building made me think about what made our country great: A 'can do', entreprenurial, survival despite the odds situation actions taken by 'John'!

I recently met 'John' while sizing up a recently foreclosed property. He was one of the tenants that had assisted the absentee owner over the last few years. In the past few months, communication with the owner had ceased and he was faced with the prospect that utilities might be shut off at his home, the building.

This tenant, acting as the manager, negotiated with the local service people to not shut things off and give him some time to pay. He collected what rents he could and paid it to the companies, setting up a payment plan with them. He further managed the hallway lights shutting them off first thing in the morning and only turning them off at the end of daylight to minimize the costs. Finally, he performed the ongoing maintenance as needed and as the available rents would cover.

He explained it to me this way: 1) I don't want to move, this is my home and works for me for a variety of reasons 2) I and the people around me shouldn't have to live less comfortably because the 'owner' didn't live up to his responsibility 3) He was quite capable of taking care of himself in the interim so why shouldn't he?

How many other buidlings and homes were just let go because of apathy. I salute John and all of the other hard working Americans that just keep coming together in the face of adversity to make this the greatest country in the world. I hope I can find him a new, compassionate, concerned owner for the building that shows him (and all of the residents) the respect they deserve...