You can (and should) make them pay full security deposit, any pet fees (but probably no pet rent, unless you are under the Sec 8 rent) and do full credit and background checks (there will be debt, maybe collections, but you can screen some criminal, depending on where you are, and evictions -- again, depending on where you are).Let's say you are charging $800. 3 times is $2400/month.

Then I discovered that NACA likes to sue banks for social justice type reasons - "This Latino with a 590 FICO score had a higher rate than that Asian woman with an 800 FICO, ergo you are racist" type things.

And my Dads attorney back in the 60s said any press is good press except heinous criminal acts..  

You are the victim of criminal damage (or whatever it is called on your state).

However, with hearing of a local landlord couple go missing after visiting a tenant to post an eviction notice, and after all of these other recent criminal, and some drug related violence in neighborhoods I sometimes have to go to, I have become increasingly scared.  

That's just icing on the cake if you get it, but not guaranteed.

Hello Justice Brooks !

For some reason, it is where all the felons and sex criminals live. 

Vet the contractor (license, bonded, insured, no criminal history) , do NOT pay them ANYTHING upfront.

Criminals commit crimes.