This was due to desirability, affordability, limited supply due to geography and laws protecting open space coupled with very high demand due to net in-migration of high-earners/wealthy people, and perhaps most importantly a diverse job market in recession-proof sectors like education, government, defense, healthcare, etc. not just tech, energy or manufacturing that can be boom/bust. 

They don't sell income producing assets unless they can replace it with a greater earner; they borrow against the asset at low rates and have it both ways - access to cash without paying taxes and interest deductions.

And the loss offsets my wage income.

Similar green energy investments could be considered if you can make the numbers work (credits on some types of low income housing can be north of 50%).Depending on how long these properties have been held, they could consider implementing cost segregation studies via a change in accounting method to accelerate some depreciation.The operating proceeds could be re-deployed into new properties where cost segregation is an option to accelerate depreciation to offset proceeds.If the properties are low basis and we are not maximizing the 199A deduction, maybe considering an S-Corp structure for management to be able to participate in retirement plans and also generate wages to use as a 199A base. 

It's just-not-complicated.Raising minimum wage RAISES TAX's.

My concern is the investment in Detroit would need to create high paying jobs in the city and those earners to live in the city for change to come at a granular level and be sustained.

Where I am going with this is someone may trade a W2 wage slave job for a job of owning rental units to house people and their pets.

The average tenant in Trenton City is going to have a sub 650 credit score, a lower wage or unstable job, etc.

Trying to get some opinions on what to do in this situation, the applicant that has nothing on their record is the primary earner in the relationship. 

You will pay about 30% in W-2 wages and the remainder as ordinary income.