Owner Move In Eviction

[Powell DiGangi]

I have a triplex in CA, however work and live out of state.  Life circumstances have arisen and now need to spend sometime back in CA (2-4 months of the year).  I want to move into one of the units of my property so I have a place to stay during my time there.  However after reading up, a bit worried about how to execute this, given that I won't be there full-time.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  How will anyone (old tenant, the city?) know if Im not physically there full-time?  If I offer to buy out the tenant instead of the OMI eviction does that give me more flexibility.  The tenant has been a good tenant and we communicate well so far.  Anyway legal or strategic advice would be much appreciated.