So I have ZERO idea why but it started working for me again. I did do the move the noted file for happy home rewards to my desktop, and start a new save. I really didn't want to play a new game, but I tried it. The new game worked - the event popped back up with visible tasks! I thought maybe this worked onto my main game; so I switched to that save and no dice. The event tasks were blank again.
So I got frustrated and decided - let me just ship this family off to the gallery. I'll upload the house/family into this new save (that is working) and see if I still have the same issues.
So I did that. I uploaded the house into my gallery and went back to the new save file. Placed them there - but I realized my sims didn't go with the lot. Just the house. So I went back into my main game file to see how to get the family to go with the lot, and wouldn't you know - the event tasks showed up again.
I was shocked.
So I speed-ran them to make sure I wouldn't lose them again. I have no idea if this will help others.