Stay out of the hood.In low income properties, remove the following:Ceiling fansgarbage disposaldishwasherCarpetStorm doorsCloset doorsTowel racksMini blindsPretty much anything that moves or has pull chainsI use the exact same paint for all my rentalsSolid wood doors (a single punch and a hollow core one is toast)Door stops behind the doorsCaulk the crap out of the bathroomMake tenants in houses responsible for cutting the grassTenants responsible for any clogged pipes unless caused by rootsTenants responsible for any glass breakage

In any case, I would bet that you wouldn't be "happy to go to court" after the feebs locked your assets & "frog-marched" you out of your office in front of the news cameras.

Yes this one had some old duct work in place but being a center hall plan upstairs it was an easy run for additional wall stack ducting (inner walls were completely hollow) as this furnace was on the ground floor in the laundry room (very old home).

Classic frog in a pan situation.People who own (or are entitled to own) an apparently abandoned house are not usually concerned too much as to what happens to that house, at least at the moment.So, your first challenge is to separate out the people who DO care from the people who don't.

Only suggestions I can make are:You've got to look under every rock and kiss every frog!

Happy to see you on the site.I am not too familiar with Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown area, but I have looked at some properties there with a couple of commercial brokers there and would be happy to introduce you.

How about just letting them become frogs and move on?

Eat that frog! 

Small things since you have the chance to do it right the first time: solid doors instead of hollow core, antimicrobial paint in the bathrooms, double stud walls with insulation between units (sound is the new asbestos in multi-family), 5/8" drywall throughout (and something special/strong in the garage - see above), if ceiling light/fan combos - get the switch with the controls in it so the tenant is pulling on the fixtures chains and no remote to loose. 

Kitchen and, I expect, bathroom has hollow core doors/drawers.