Borrowed money from friends and family to pay cash for the property as the bank would not finance it until it had been remodeled, made livable, and brought up to code.

I think finding other value adds than ADU additions are likely to be the superior investment versus adding a ADU.Best wishes, especially wishing the best to all the fire victims.I believe the market around north L.A. is one filled with some pretty well healed individuals.

He is also a jerk, so none of his friends or family are willing to help him out.

I rented out the additional bedrooms to friends and family, charging them well below market, and sold when it was time for my wife and I to start our own adventures.

I’ve seen this issue in San Diego, where a friend of mine worked with a city planner to rezone a lot for duplexes and triplexes.

The deal is good and the current owner is my friend. 

If you're refinancing six properties, bundling them into a portfolio loan might help you consolidate debt, reduce rates, and avoid individual property issues like this.Negotiate Closing Costs or LTV with Kiavi.

But if they don’t even bother to fill out the forms to apply, or get a basic job to make ends meet, or borrow money from family or friends/ somebody else besides you, then they can’t stay.

I sincerely hope you, your family and friends are safe and not in harm's way.  

There may be some lenders that might be a little more "borrower friendly", but I haven't found them (nor do I have the time to look for them).You might be able get better terms if you "house hack" by getting an FHA loan, but I don't generally work with those loans.