DC just changed TOPA preventing this extortion for single family properties but the tenants find other ways.

Also you should have addendum's in place to prevent damages as well as have direct communication with the case worker to remove the culprit from the program if rules are broken.  

Umbrella insurance prevents most lawsuits.

Another option we are considering due to this taxation issue would be to do a live-in flip for the next two years, then sell and invest the profit in taxable accounts before moving (keeping some out to subsidize our pay down there), then in the future we could start the buy and hold process.And the final option we came up with is to pursue househacking here, then go visit family for just under 6 months each year, preventing us from being considered tax residents there.

The VA loan requires you to buy a house with a built in, state of the art, protective energy shield that prevents aging of any materials.

That said though you do have people here that invest in those areas and do make money, you need to run your numbers and make sure it is worth the investment, do not figure you will go in and change the area by spending money to fix the place up better than the rest, that type of investment may be a buy, repairs if needed and preventive maintenance to keep the place from falling apart and that's it.

The sole purpose of designating a animal as ESA is to get around regulations that prevent pets to be taken into certain areas.

I'm trying to prevent a problem before it happens, and was looking for a more technical answer.Thanks!

I usually break it down into 5 pillars of asset protection (though in reality there are many more...)1st pillar is avoiding unnecessary and risky activities (don't drink and drive, insurance generally won’t cover your poor decisions) and take good care of your investments - these simple steps will help you prevent lawsuits before they even occur.2nd pillar is a good insurance policy as that cover the majority of your exposure.

And is there a way to prevent it, or to see if the tenant was a problem prior to the purchase of the property?