We are 100% compliant and go overboard to ensure everyone is treated exactly the same during the entire process from first contact to however far they make it.It's up to you, but if I were in your shoes, I'd find myself an intelligent, go-getter college student and pay him $25-$40 for his time to drive over and go down your checklist.   

The tenants seem like good people but are all heavy smokers (stair case reeks cigarette smell), they are also using the attic for storage (I have no access) and occupying the majority of the side lot for parking.

My goal for this land is to build a storage facility from shipping containers.

Things may have shifted a bit or warped in storage and then won't fit back as nicely as when originally built. 

Plenty of books on multi family, self storage, mobile home parks, but I assume you're talking about office, industrial, hotel?

It was previously used for car storage and is a bit run down.I am new to commercial real estate and I would appreciate any guidance that anyone has on the best route to take.

I am not against calling the neighbor as well if I am in your shoes, but I always try to keep it very friendly and non confrontational.

In your example, you are purchasing and expensing the refrigerator and junking the old one, so if it's in the junkyard or in your storage shed I can't see how it makes a difference. 

It's been quite an experience but safety, adequate parking, storage & modern upgrades are the big demands regardless of demographics.

I have rented for several years before buying my first home and the one thing I hated most was not having enough storage space.