Years worth of recycling in bags...why would anyone save that?

Also bridgeport garbage & recycle collection is included so no need for that line item unless it was for something else.

If I had no money, I would borrow the $20k, flip a property, pay the loan back, and start recycling the profit from the flip into rentals.

And then look for ways where you can recycle/protect your capital (BRRRR's or flips, maybe wholesaling).  

I agree with Andrew Johnson on this one, for this phase in the RE cycle.

The outside (and probably inside) is pretty bad and I am just looking for overall advice on cleaning up the junk.Are there places (scrap metal recycle?)

I have seen people grabbing recycling stuff out of garbage cans, but that type of issue in my mind is not so much a problem.

While I could accept a minority of the blame here, based on bad judgement of my contractor driving down a soggy alley at a time they should have been more careful, the City over reaction is so typical of how it operates.For example, the majority of heavy traffic in an alley is the City owned garage and recycling trucks, plus lighter traffic from residents.

I have a general idea, such as I like to have the island about 9 ft long, so it can fit a dishwasher, sink cabinet, recycling area and a bank of drawers.

you can take money out and use it for whatever it is you want. then you have to start making payments on the interest of the amount you pulled out. if 20 yrs go by and you haven't paid it off I believe it becomes a balloon payment at that point (interest and principle due). if you have paid it off then there is nothing due. so let's say you did pay it off in 7 yrs. now you still have the original amount of the HELOC available to you for the next 13 yrs. and just recycle the scenario as needed