It’ll help with the lack of affordable housing so maybe the city would play ball?

Dewey and Mayer - property values there are a low for a reason - pollution from mining - EPA has investigated (https://response.epa.gov/site/...) and I have spoken with several residents who were told by the EPA to not allow their dog or children to play outside in the dirt due to high levels of arsenic. 

The demand in Greenville, South Carolina, stems from several factors that collectively contribute to its attractiveness as a place to live, work, and play.

We have not heard the other side of the story, so possibly there's something else at play besides this CPA being overloaded. 

If you are just looking for a turnkey rental, there are probably better deals out there.I would also advise that with an unstable job, tying up a big chunk of cash into a property, might not be the wisest play to build a foundation for later.

Believe it or not, this is often the best play.

As @Paul Sofia said, you are a rookie playing a championship game.Pass on this, you are clearly over your head.....this could ruin you.

Which of these areas would be a better play for house-hacking in terms of likely appreciation over the years and rentability to potential tenants?

It's a blocking and tackling, play the long game market right now.

I have a letter, tweak it a little each mailing, print letters and envelopes, hand sign every one of them, fold, stuff, and stamp all myself.It's a numbers game and takes a while to play before you get results... unless you hit an owner at just the right time, that is.Some people alternate between postcards and letters.