His criminal and credit history are borderline but passable.He says that he really wants to buy the whole duplex but would like to rent one of the apartments for a year first.

Everyone knows Detroit is only filled with criminals and corrupt politicians. 

For a criminal background check, go back 5 or 10 years.For residential history, 3 years should be fine.If someone is starting a new job when they come to town, I verify their current and last employer and call the company that just hired them to make sure they actually have a job.

On my rental listings I state "Credit,criminal and rental history check on all adult applicants by mysmartmove.com

That usually gets them moving on the documentation if they are really interested.To save time and money since we don't require an application fee, we tell everyone upfront that we require credit/background/criminal checks security deposit and first month's rent in certified funds before lease signing.  

Many states prohibit taking title to a property in exchange for "helping them out", with both civil and criminal penalties.

I'm curious if anyone specializes or has had success renting to folks with not great criminal histories or bad credit histories, etc? 

—In all criminal cases, contempt cases, and other cases filed pursuant to this chapter, if a party has sold, leased, or let real estate, the title to which was not in the party when it was offered for sale, lease, or letting, or such party has maintained an office bearing signs that real estate is for sale, lease, or rental thereat, or has advertised real estate for sale, lease, or rental, generally, or describing property, the title to which was not in such party at the time, it shall be a presumption that such party was acting or attempting to act as a real estate broker, and the burden of proof shall be upon him or her to show that he or she was not acting or attempting to act as a broker or sales associate.

It's theft which is criminal, the cops are just being lazy, oops I mean they don't have enough "resources".

It is a total of 146 linear feet of fence plus the gate.