At least it sits on their credit report and prevents them from scamming another landlord or qualifying for a loan.

Seems like your biggest issue is rent - what is market rent and what prevents you from achieving that rent?

They don't realize that most mortgages are written to PREVENT this and don't read the fine print. 

Bonus depreciation and Section 179 allowances for improvements can be utilized, with the latter, however, capped at zero to prevent negative losses.

I have called 5 water companies in California and they all have said privacy laws prevent them from giving me the list.

Anonymity is not asset protection and will not prevent claims from arising.

My focus if I were you would be on a card that enhances my lifestyle and doesn't charge me unnecessary fees. 

Home depot/lowes sells mold test kits you can use once the basement is dried out.Once you have the basement dry, the next order of business is to figure out the cause(s) of the flooding, and hopefully address those causes to prevent future floods.There are multiple potential reasons for your flooding--it could be ground water rising up from underneath the house, it could improper drainage around the house, it could be cracks in the foundation or slab, it could be water coming in through the window wells, it could be all of those things, or it could be something else entirely.  

What you described is unnecessary.

They are licensed and use it to prevent identity fraud.