If you aren't already, I'd check with an independent agent who has access to multiple companies.

Does this apply to income earned as: (a) independent contractors (realtors, etc.) 

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That may be a good route to take.As many have said, the appraiser is an independent third party and should give you an unbiased value based on data and not pressure from the brokers. 

However I'm being told I won't qualify for an FHA loan since I've worked mainly as an independent contractor for years, with occasional W2 employment but never beyond 3 months.

My current goal is $10,000 per month in net passive income primarily from multifamily rentals, at which time I'll have financial independence.

I believe it should be the latter, as any special assessment payment plan should be independent of the of the actual improvement.I would like to hear your thoughts.Thank you.

in Great Neck/Long Island area.I own 3 rentals currently and am doing the same thing as you, building up the passive income streams so I can finally reach financial independence!

But more than that I want to be able to be financially independent and scale up my real estate business to have enough capital to maybe start some businesses I'm passionate about, who knows where the world will take me right?

Independent of that citation,  I'd tell the subject tenant to take the written list of complaints to the police to be on record.