They pay what equates to $800-950 a month per student for 4 bd/2ba at the closest university affiliated apartments and on campus.

@Michelle Tucker I also researched a little and the great lakes reia seems like the closest.

Find the closest new construction home to where you plan to build... then think about why no other builders have ventured to where you want to build.

Seek out the local legal aid society for a thorough review of your facts and to determine whether you are liable based on prior dealings, and what rights your parents have by virtue of the unique facts of this case.

Ryan your lemons to lemon aide is the way I would go with post rehab rents of course,  let us know how this one works out Good Luck

Does this mean I'm eligible for federal aide?

They can forward you emails they received from the university, too, regarding their acceptance or about student aid or about orientations, etc.  

You're discounting the very real possibility they could get low bono or pro bono representation through either the local legal aid society, who typically hates landlords, or a local chapter of the ACLU, if they are particularly sob-worthy people.But that is beside the point, as I think your recommendation for question reform is a good one.

I accepted copies of emails from the university to the student saying they were accepted, and/or information about their student financial aid.  

Perhaps establishing an escrow account for the entire lease period is something to be explored.They choose California for two very simple reasons, it's very heavily populated with Asians but most importantly it is the closest to China so the trip home during summers, holidays etc...would be the shortest.