It's like a blackhole - once it's starts it's nearly impossible for these places to reverse the trends - a few places in KS have gotten better - Dodge City, Garden City, Hays - they hang on and are relatively "progressive" (I use that term loosely) compared to their other rural neighboring cities) and have found a way to survive and somewhat thrive in today's society.  

Would it just be better to do a cash out refinance for my equity instead of using a HELOC so I’m not loosing 6% on every house I buy until I can refinance out of that loan?

As for the ‘excessive’ family gatherings at your house: you have no control over it.

I sometimes drive in excess of the speed limit.

Then that should be clearly defined in your lease along with the cost of excess bandwidth. 

Remember if your rental is creating a profit in excess of depreciation, paying some more income tax is a good problem.

I've got a SFH in a great school zone that's loosing it's long term tenant soon.

There are two possibilities going on here and you didn't specify which one you're dealing with. 1: they work with a company that installs the panels, gives them free solar energy, and then sells the excess.

Now you also loose your homeowners insurance because no body wants to underwrite!  

Most recently, I was dinged for a closet that didn’t latch when closed, peeling / cracked ceiling, loose floor boards and junk piled on the back porch.