What harm have they suffered? 

It does occur to me that buying fix up property may help you the most for taxes, but unfortunately you have to put more money into them. 

Didn't occur to me to ask you what your plan was.

We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the area mentioned, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/3094/91877-how-to-screen-a-pmc-better-than-a-tenant-part-1-services-and-processesWe recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.

Check the cities comprehensive plan to see what the area is designed for in the future if development were to occur in the area.Finally, if you currently do not have an established 3 unit building then you’ll application to create spot zoning will be very difficult.  

Cash flow is calculated by making certain adjustments to net income by adding or subtracting differences in revenue, expenses, and credit transactions (appearing on the balance sheet and income statement) resulting from transactions that occur from one period to the next.

Secondly, you can use the VA loan with the intent to occupy it, but then if you PCS, or deploy, and have to move out, no harm no foul.

Adjust rents to pay the tax man in a downturn and it's out of harms way. 

But in an international gateway city with a longterm average appreciation rate of 6.7% going back to 1975 -- meaning this longterm average incorporates the five recessions that have occurred since?

25% of all flood damage occurs to property outside of the flood zone.