I write and call my local and state political representatives weekly about this.

@Zach Denny  Similar to what Minna posted above, I have done with a local portfolio lender bank where they set their own lending rules. 

Focus on rebuilding your credit, saving for a down payment, and learning the local market.

.)- Crime stats... if you know specific zip codes/submarkets that you'd like to target, the best data will come from local precincts. - and more..I'd recommend remaining active not only here on BiggerPockets, but in other valuable RE investment networks that you can find - i.e. local meetups (meetup.com, eventbrite, BP local events). 

Going over maps of known repairs with contractors showed that there were a few houses where people tried to have piers installed and ran out of money before hitting stable soil, others in the hyper local area did have to go to 100+ ft.  

You have come to the right place to begin your investing journey.Have you looked into attending local meetings and joining Facebook groups?

I love the town, but I guess that my point is that it has substantial challenges as a full time local.

If that is all ok then get a very good local realtor to run comps in that area to determine the conservative value of the home once you've completed the renovation work(ARV).

To find someone, I’d start by reaching out to local rehab centers or recovery organizations as they often know operators who are looking for housing.

We created it about three years ago in order to help us convert a mobile home park that we own in the center of Florence, Arizona into a tiny house village.