Even as 1 BR, the lowest FMR I can find in the City is $830.

The city is still economically not showing the types of growth that you’ll find in areas like the Lehigh valley which in my book are a huge pro.

We also have a couple section 8 programs in the city.

Are there any good resources online to be able to get an idea of average monthly/yearly expenses like utilities, etc. for a given zip or city?

It does not matter the size of the city. 

Unless they are housing a squirrel, it will take you years to get someones attention and evict in the city.

It's outside Scottsdale city limits (Maricopa County jurisdiction) so it is not subject to Scottsdale's restrictions.It does, however, have a shared well agreement with one other parcel (as almost all in this area seem to).

As for my Airbnb research, I have spoken with a person who runs numerous Airbnb’s in a different area (city atmosphere) who provided good ideas on how to smoothly run the property.

As a Canadian, most of what you say regarding BC and Ontario is true due to Vancouver and Toronto being the major cities in Canada, but your immigration numbers and link to housing shortage is a bit of political rhetoric.

The city's population growth, strong rental demand, and job opportunities in tech, logistics, and military sectors make it a reliable choice.