Ask them to please open a claim with their insurance company and give you a contact for the adjuster.If they will not do this voluntarily go through your contract and reference any sections which require THEM to carry insurance.

The guaranteed rent for a year is nice but what are you going to do when the year is up, they are already here illegally in the US so I would be hesitant to believe they would follow the law on property rights and voluntarily leaving when the time comes. 

I was certain, but could not prove, that one side was dealing drugs due to lack of job, constant smell of pot in the apartment and rent always being paid in cash.

There is no pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.

If you are not willing to go through the pain then look for a different market.If you are willing to deal with all of the headaches and fight for years, my experience has shown me that there is a pot of gold on the other side.

I personally wouldn't know what do to with a small pot of money just sitting there. 

Though plenty of buyers were pushed to the sidelines (voluntarily or involuntarily) by rising mortgage rates, Austin's economic strength still supports a healthy demand for housing.What if I’m a buyer?

My current savings pot is low; I believe this will enable me to accelerate my savings goal as the barrier to entry is significantly lower.

It's very hard especially in California where Pot is legal. 5 out of 10 applicants cant pass a urine test, and the other 4 had some sort of traffic violation on their record within the last 5-7 years.

My initial thoughts are to spend money upgrading the kitchen and master bath; granite countertops, tile backsplash, maybe a pot filler over range, tile shower, extra windows?