If you're looking to invest your hard-earned money, I'd also encourage you to actually drive through the areas designated as the STR zone.

I believed I was putting that hard-earned money into something secure.

Six weeks into their program, I earned just over $50K. 

You are trying to say you will use the " investors" to fund community programs, that sounds like a charity because there is no earning on the investment.  

Question that the “believers” don’t ask is “how much could I earn on the extra money I’m spending to pay down the loan faster?  

And here is a PDF explaining it for both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: https://www.radian.com/-/media/Files/Enterprise/Training/QRG...Understanding Foreign Income Foreign income is defined as income earned by a borrower who is employed by a foreign corporation or a foreign government and is paid in foreign currency.

Generally speaking, if you borrow money at 7% interest and your investment is earning a 10% return, 10% - 7% = 3% and you are not growing faster than inflation.

How can you make the business more profitable so you earn more?

If they are adjusting the amount they can lend because the margins are too thin or telling you the deal metrics are not checking out it is likely due to the expected earnings not being sufficient. 

It's not net negative if you are living for less than you would pay for rent...and PS, you wouldn't be earning appreciation or any cash flow on that either.