My thoughts are landlords are often being punished for keeping up with inflation and responding as any other business owner would to supply and demand (as others have stated).In my market there are out of touch expectations for rent raises or lack there of.

One, the vinyl lasts longer to the punishment of your tenants.

I know its a law but I am not sure how good they are at enforcing it or if they can really punish you is a great way to look at it. 

Tenants can be a handful and being a beginner will punish you here.Doesn't mean you can't or won't make money, but you stressed the word beginner and I just don't think this is a beginner town.

The idea that Landlords are racist, sexist, anti-gay, or whatever is a figment of a liberal's imagination.One thing is for sure: our society is slowly sliding down the path of socialist/communist ideology where hard work and success will be punished or stolen. 

Once again, intelligent and responsible people are being punished because our government seems to protect the lazy and stupid.

Bailout the morons who bought houses they couldn't afford and punish responsible citizens by forcing them to pay for the deadbeats!

I still don't recommend Port Huron unless you really like punishment but the surrounding areas are nice and while the initial returns might look lower you save in management costs and time. 

Staying up to date with city codes is Key but most recent changes have just been a kick up in the punishments of smaller issues such as not responding within a certain amount of time to a noise complaint, etc.

It is like punishment for being a buy and hold investor. :)