Ko Olina is a beautiful spot - and having a vacation home there for your family while focusing on capital appreciation is a smart move. 

They're currently renting in Denver under only the guy's name but since the girlfriend is pregnant, they need to move to a bigger place.

I would restate that the lease will remain in place until such time that a new tenant is selected and moves into the property.This approach will ensure your cash flow while acknowledging that 'stuff happens.' 

The tenant had until 1/6/25 to pay the back rent or move out and did neither.

On the other hand, tenants tend to cause damages when moving these appliances in/out, so having them in place may be safer.I recommend you look at what others are doing in your community and price point.

One tenant stayed 13 years until their youngest child graduated, then moved. 

I intend to rent out the units by room to college students (does it sound like this would work in this area and what are some general tips/things I should look out for?).

Out-of-state investing makes the most sense for me—it’s impossible to cash flow anywhere near me, and moving wouldn’t make sense because I wouldn’t be able to earn the same wages or find the same kind of jobs.Before this purchase, I already owned two properties: a long-term rental outside Houston, Texas, and a short-term rental in the Sierras in California.

The associates I know at the moment aren't in this realm and I would like to have some sort of guidance moving into this next steps.So I'm looking for developers/mentors to help me move forward.

Just replace and move on. install lights.