I finally decided to close the doors mainly because the unit used was not available anymore, but also because the regulations got stricker and stricker over time.Now, if you want to use your 2-4 as an STR, you need to show proof that you are living in the unit you are renting by sharing a government-issued ID with that exact unit or your tax exemption form.If you have a building over 5 units, it's a bit easier but still challenging ( you can rent up to 25% of the units out for airbnb)...the few people I know that are successful are NOT the owners of the building, but more so the operator of the airbnb unit aka str arbitrage

It has been discussed in the main BP podcast as well as the Rookie show.

My concern is whether the city could deny permits for these modifications, such as removing walls or converting a garage, or if they are mainly just concerned with safety and habitability.

Wasn't that the main point of the post?

The main reason I purchase this property is because I was planning to house-hack.

So there is an element where you will either replace a mortgage. 

We were originally targeting a September 2022 completion date, but now it looks like the front house will be completed April 2023 and the main mid-summer 2023 for the DADU."

Short-term renters generally don't like to stay in Cancun because there's not much to do there and the beaches are mainly occupied by the resorts, against which it's hard to compete and there are much nicer areas in the Riviera Maya.Even though I've owned property in the Riviera Maya for many years and have landed in Cancun many times, I've never been to the city and I've never had the desire to go there.

And it was a nightmare mainly because of HOA politics, rules/regulations, etc especially if you want to make certain renovations to the unit.

Mainly because so many of us on this website are significantly younger than retirement age.