The damage done to roof with mounting and other insurance issues usually outweighs any positives.Sounds like they have a company exec or hired contractor to call on possible sites and see who they can get cheap rent from. 

The strategy would be to buy and hold/For the sake of evaluation, let's say that Mount Vernon is a C- to B- neighborhood.  

I just closed on my second single family home for buy and hold.I'm looking for recommendations on a contractor/handyman in the Rocky Mount VA area.

If space is a limiting factor you could look into a sand mount to replace a leach field, but again, ask a local expert.

I know of two older duplexes for sale in Mount Vernon right now, or look in Sedro.There are some great meetups in Bellingham and Marysville, and I love meeting with people in Skagit.

One has a non-functioning wall-mounted gas heater and the other one has an electric baseboard heater.

My husband and I live in Anacortes and invest here and in Mount Vernon.

True office style suspended drop ceilings are tacky and dated, but if you could research a noise isolation product or way to mount ceiling drywall, it may help greatly.

That is about the only other option if a barn door wont work...not recommending it but there are some very pretty curtains and if you mount the hardware extra wide inside the room the tenants can leave it fully open except when company comes.

There are options for those that really don't want panels on the roof though - ground mounted systems and solar patios.