I agree that Tampa is not the worst (yet) but I believe we are trending in that direction.

You contact them, say what the heck.

Go direct to seller, learn to source your own deals and you will be successful  

Contact the HOA yourself.

Sometimes those small gestures can save you headaches when construction dust starts flying.I’m curious... now that you’ve pulled off this deal, how would you approach finding your next project differently, and what kind of local contacts would you prioritize connecting with first?

You could even try reaching out directly to local agents or small real estate firms.

You were literally fine with what we were doing for you up until you found out the tenant left after closing because you tried to say we knew about it which is impossible as we never had contact with the tenant ever.

look 1-2 hours away in every direction. 

My recommendation would be to get approved as a Landlord, contact the director's office and request that an inspection be completed before a tenant is selected (sometimes they will do this as long as you select a tenant within 14 days - which you want anyways), and have an online application and screening resource in place.  

Consider automated systems or direct follow-ups to engage more applicants.