Process wise you should do the following:Use the Trulia color-coded crime map to check on your property of interest.  

I'm having problems running the comps as the selling prices are really variable in this zip code.

There are certainly good people in all area codes, which you can find if you screen enough, but buy-n-large you will be dropping by the property in Lackawanna MUCH more often to fix things than if you had bought in a nicer neighborhood.

Where I am located, code dictates a fan/vent or an operable window in a bathroom.  

Below is word for word from the Zoning code for the property: "The owner of the property on which an accessory dwelling unit is located shall occupy either the primary or accessory dwelling unit.

Have a moral code and it will go a long way 

New lease is not necessary you are required to honor the lease signed by the previous owner. 

The board aren't just a bunch of jerks or anything, but they need to adhere strictly to the code and how the ordinances are written.

They even give you html code to cut and paste into craigslist:-) Pretty slick looking posts, too:-)

walk into the owning bank with 20%+ down and the bank honoring it?