For reference- healthy inventory levels or a balanced market is 6 months of inventory. 

The unit needs to be clean and empty for them to receive the full amount.

I've also noticed that these type of tenants tend to not care as much about the homes and they never get cleaned so they eventually just look disgusting.

I would reassure the tenant that your goal is to return their entire security deposit, provided they remove all their belongings, leave on time and make their best effort at cleaning.

You don't have any way of knowing what condition they got the unit in, unless there's some good documentation from the previous owner (rarely is there), and smoking takes repainting, sometimes new carpet, ozone machines, and deep cleaning of everything to get the smell out so you probably don't have enough deposit to get it done.

Our goal was to grow our own healthy food in harmony with the land as well as build within 5 years.

That may mean cleaning up your credit and building some savings.

They (locals and politicians) wanted the city "cleaned up" and to be more prosperous.

Make it clean, make it new, make it nice, charge top dollar. 

If one takes a pig, cleans it up, perfume, good smelling soap even.