The best way to alleviate anxiety and to set it up so that you really aren't "jumping off the cliff" is to have some education under your belt.

This helps alleviate some of the capital requirements. 

2) IF current park models aren't sustainable, is there a way to still profit while owning a park and NOT hiking up lot rent for owners (alleviating financial burden of MANY tenants) and keeping most of the homes in the park tenant owned? 

On a positive note, neither will they be inclined to release your ex-husband from his obligation, especially if you cannot demonstrate an ability to carry the debt w/o his participation.The wording of your separation agreement w/r to this debt should be helpful in establishing his on-going obligation and Northwood may be inclined to collect payment directly from him alleviating you from chasing him for payment and he from withholding payment for tactical purposes.

Ultimately hiring a licensed contractor is just supposed to alleviate some of the liability in case something goes wrong, but that isn't always the case. 

Depending on the rental rate of my places I buy fridges that don't have ice makers to alleviate this issue. 

The state of CA can look good by claiming neutrality and leaving it up to the local city governments to decide.Many local governments (LA & Garcetti aside) know that rent control will not alleviate the housing crisis nor do they wish to alienate their investor constituents that are against rent control measures in any form.Many studies have shown that rent control does not work and only degrades neighborhoods as landlords defer maintenance and improvements.   

This alleviates a lot of my risk, and helps me sleep at night.Having cash reserves saved away really takes the worry out of unexpected repairs.

In that sense, it makes sense to invest for profit, and utilize that profit to alleviate debt.The flip side to this equation is your extra risk factor.

If, for multiple possible reasons, that is not an option I would think there is a way to draft some type of contract between them and your company (which you could make at the same time just for this 1 deal) that would help alleviate a lot of the concerns you've mentioned.Now, I don't have any experience is this type of a deal, so there are surely some intricacies that I cannot evaluate, but I do have experience with partnerships, lawyers and contracts.