In Jerome they got so upset with one local resident that they tried to bring criminal charges against him for doing STR and "ruining" their community. 

Don, I am having second thoughts on this because you and/or your family do not appear to have any type of criminal history or are in prison.

Texas Real Estate Commission, Fair Housing and HUD are no joke.Practicing real estate without a license is a criminal offense in TX - Class A Misdemeandor (see Chapters 1101.756, 1101.757 and 1101.758, TX Occupations Code).According to the TX Occupations Code, they may also be sued civilly:§ 1101.754.

Criminals are always the ones responsible for crimes, not their victims - I realize in this case the word 'crime' might be debatable, since a lot of skeezy business practices are actually perfectly legal, but the point remains.

Additionally, consider checking their previous rental references to assess their reliability and adherence to lease agreements.Background Check: Conduct a background check to screen for any criminal history or eviction records.

In Oakland, you can't discriminate against someone with a criminal background (with the exception of a sex offender). 

The process includes requesting background checks through TransUnion, covering criminal history, eviction history, and credit reports.

Here are some tips for vetting potential tenants:Require a rental application: Have all potential tenants fill out a rental application that includes personal and employment information, references, and a consent to run a background check and credit report.Check their credit report: A credit report can give you insight into a tenant's financial history, including their payment history, outstanding debts, and credit score.Run a background check: A background check can reveal any criminal history or past evictions, which may be red flags.Verify income: Make sure to ask for proof of income to ensure the tenant has the financial means to pay rent.Contact references: Reach out to previous landlords, employers, and personal references to get a sense of the tenant's reliability and character.Conduct an in-person interview: Meeting the tenant in person can give you a sense of their personality and demeanor, which can be important factors in being a good tenant.Trust your instincts: If something seems off or you have a bad feeling about a potential tenant, it may be best to pass and keep looking.By taking these steps and thoroughly vetting potential tenants, you can increase the chances of finding a quality tenant who will be a good fit for your rental property.Good luck and keep us posted on what you decided to do! 

Even the courts say we can't execute criminals at a certain mental capacity because they don't have the ability to understand what they did -- certainly, we can't hold these people responsible for their own medical care, can we?

Make sure to do your proper due diligence like every other tenant - credit check, criminal background history check, calling past landlords, verifying employment, etc. and make sure to meet them in-person when showing the house!