Instead they go about it a** backwards and add more red tape and more complications costing the city and it's residents more money

He is right, guarantee or not, Joe owes you the money back

If you have been to these towns, they are good examples but very difficult to enter and make money from. 

Is there anything I can do to recoup any of that money or am I SOL?

It is also been my experience and observation that there are people that have money and quite a bit that do not advertise the fact.. 

But I do Fix and flip and buy and hold and when I go about purchasing if its any kind of rehab to be done I use hard money.

if you have no money to put down then you're not ready.here's what i would do instead:-save up enough until you have enough money to do a live-in flip-do a live-in fliphope that helps

If you don't you will lose a lot of money with evictions, lost payments, and vacancy.

I don't believe raising QOZ money for entitlements that would be resold 6 months later would pick up traction.

Successful flippers are:- Building relationships with reliable contractors- Ordering materials well in advance- Being strategic about which renovations will truly deliver ROI Regulatory EnvironmentRecent changes to Phoenix building codes have emphasized:- Stricter energy efficiency requirements- More rigorous inspection processes- Additional permits for certain types of renovationsBe prepared for longer permitting timelines than in years past.Financial ConsiderationsThe financing landscape has evolved significantly:- Hard money lenders are offering more competitive rates (7-9%) than the 12-14% seen in 2022- Several Phoenix-specific investment groups have emerged that pool resources for flips- Traditional lenders now offer more renovation loan products tailored specifically to the Arizona marketThe Bottom LineThe Phoenix market in 2025 offers solid opportunity for house flippers who approach projects strategically.