@storyworker @HeavenlyPossum @violetmadder @Daojoan
> Who is to provide rent to those who prefer to rent - if not somebody who owns a property, but does not live in it?

I’ll offer one possible answer, since I haven’t seen one here. A cooperative where member-owners contribute for shared access to services. Membership costs can be a small fraction of rents under landlords and members can have more rights.

There are innumerable other answers, with a little imagination.