It comes down to training and most landlords are lax in that department.

These are just behind on their property taxes... and after XXXX amount of time (varies) will be sold at tax sale.You generally need to call/email the office of CFO, person in IT department, person in tax office (call around to all of them, varies), and ask for delinquent tax list.

The OPD has a department responsible for removing abandoned cars from properties.

You need to go to the Building Department and pull the property jacket and look for a permit.

And the city has reviewed our business plan and they are so excited by it that they are connecting us with funding through their economic development department (which uses SBA 7a loans).

Also what are the challenges I may get from city permit department?

And contacting the banks agent and the brokerage they belong to along with the Realtor's association should get you some answers too. a real estate attorney is no help in this.. the buyer has no standing.. the proper action here is 1. file a complaint with the department of real estate.. let them investigate its free. and they are the controlling entity not an attorney.2. file a grievance with the ethics committee in your MLS system..  

The health department shut that place down.

I would first contact the local building department to find out what you can build and can not build or have your builder do all of that for you.

The strong sewer smell sounds like it would be more of a health department issue than a building department issue - unless it is all under one department.