If the bank or developer has control they have a vested interest in keeping HOA solvent...so they may prevent that.

you can use solvents etc but if you have got the lose stuff up its mostly about sanding.

I am under the impression that if we sub-meter or became unable to pay HOA expenses we then would be moved into those current NC Condo HOA Regulations and someone take over, make decisions to get HOA solvent, force the hand of owners who will not agree to water sub-metering, that in itself would free up money for upkeep and needed preventative issues and improvements which there is no money for now, and get HOA and complex out of the bind it is in before it gets worse.

James,As for the short game, keep in mind that the market can stay irrational longer than anyone can stay solvent.

Having the whole crew, who actually knew what they are doing, would require a large operation to remain efficient and solvent.

The solvent cement process is a little different then joing regular PVC in the sense that the installer does not have to use near as much pipe cement to join.

I figure I need to hide any 'accelerants' like oils and solvents, and hide my welding gear. 

These two factors alone are enough to keep most people solvent, as jobs quickly come back. 

Tenant doesn't pay (can't), skates by on the dime of the landlord until the landlord loses his property with huge debt or bankruptcy (harder and harder to get), institution forecloses on property, sells it to larger still solvent institution who writes off a few months loss until it can evict tenant who is now way too far behind to pay up.

It often doesn't take much of a push for a landlord to go from solvent to insolvent and then who suffers?