Check with the city's excellent public records act staff:The City of Oakland public records request portalI helped a neighbor downsize from 2 to 1 in Berkeley because at that time, the city prohibited ADUs from being built on duplex or higher unit count properties (it still would be prohibited if not for the fine work of the Bay Area Council working with Senator Wieckowski to change state law). 

I sit on a small city P&Z board and also attend many city council meetings where zoning change requests are heard. 

My best suggestion would be go to a smaller town, where perhaps you can find cheaper lots....and maybe a city council or P&Z that would like to see some new construction and will be friendly to rezoning. 

The current City Council is very anti Landlord.

Often there are local planning councils, economic development offices, and/or conventional and visitors bureaus that track and provide such data. 

He is in Council bluffs, Iowa, across from Omaha. 

Took the Developer at Beggins, six months to get through the Plans Department and he had to get their lawyer to finally send a Complaint letter to the Mayor when he is the President of the Mayor's Development Council.

The city council actually put together a team to cruise the apps, Craigslist and so forth to shut the operations down and slap them with a hefty fine.As for HOAs, that depends on state.

During the November 11, 2021 Lava Hot Springs city council meeting, the council voted to deny the [owners’] short-term rental license on the grounds that his property is located outside of the city’s commercial zone.

These filings have become somewhat boilerplates, and can be accomplished by competent legal council for about $10,000.