The previous owner in possession is another issue altogether, and just icing on the degree of difficulty cake.  

Upon passage of the bill out of Committee, Councilmember McDuffie remarked: “The use of criminal history-based restrictions on access to housing results in the same racial and ethnic disparities in housing that we see in our criminal justice system.

Then, when you hopefully are able to raise rents (never guaranteed to work) that is just icing on the cake! 

The court system is built around pain, not justice. 

If you are filing in small claims (Less than $10,000) court (Justice of The Peace Court) you can have someone represent you without you being there personally. 

@Jordan Justice, ground-up construction is probably not the best choice as a first project.

I may take the case to the court for the sake of justice.

The U.S. justice system is unpredictable.

That was 3 years after the SOL but the judge let it go forward based on a "social justice" theory.

In PA, we've never had a District Justice grant judgment regarding future rent (until end of lease or new rental, whichever comes first).