I think you're in the right are for investment affordable housing .

If you are willing to do the work, the landlord can often be the first point of contact with housing assistance.

First when I wanted to create a fund to buy court house steps..

People house hacking have far different expectations than someone buying properties with cash. 

If it is then it is a valid comparison.If it is a 2 bed 2 bath condo, then make sure you look at those comps and not the hotel.

And addressing my item #1 comment, almost always, when a "distressed" homeowner is approached, they initially are grateful to have the loan brought current, but before long they forget the circumstances they were in and you become the bad guy that stole their house.

Good on your friend for suggesting house hacking a duplex.

If you're purchasing a single family home you can use traditional financing like you probably did on your house or you can do a commercial loan.

I’m starting off wanting to get into a primary residence that I plan to house hack and then figure out the next move into investment properties but that’s down the roadwith all that said, are there other ways that im not thinking of to 1.

Property Management takes a nice cut out of your margin, unless you have the systems built to do it in-house.