From his home of six years on Cleveland's West Side, he looks after the elderly lady next door. He shares vegetables from his backyard garden with anyone in need and keeps his two dogs well fed and fenced in.

The 58-year-old puts his trash in a city-supplied garbage can and clears snow so visitors and the mail carrier can get to the front door. He calls the police at the first sign of trouble and pays property taxes.

Mr. Hayes' life would be unremarkable except for one big thing.

He's a squatter.

Homeless and suffering from mental illness, Mr. Hayes moved into the abandoned cottage-size house on this dead-end street in January 2008. The unsecured house sat behind a much larger house, since demolished by the city. He sought refuge here after moving out, or being evicted from, boarding houses and cheap apartments he says were full of drugs and noise.