And an argument could be made that since she doesn't own more than 50% of the property that the entire ownership structure of the property equates to a non-related party for you (much like an LLC). 

My question is, does anyone have a negotiation equation or strategy to get the price down, considering these costly repairs.

So you add value to the equation for sure without having money.

Sure, because when you take rent payments out of the equation you can focus on the tenant landlord relationship and providing the best experience for the tenant.All the best!

Government assistance/tax credits are of course a consideration that is factored in to the cost/benefit analysis of any form of new energy generation, as all forms of energy are heavily subsidized and always have been, long before solar entered the equation. 

The voucher is the most that Sec8 will pay for that person’s rent regardless of where they rent.  2) The second part of the Sec8 equation is the market rates for specific neighborhood’s and property types (SFR vs apartment, # bedrooms, # baths, utilities included vs paid by tenant, etc).

This is something I try to live by and teach my kids if I can - "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.

Removing all skills from the equation, if you don't take a break from participating as a real estate investor in some way each day, you will stay far ahead of everyone else who keeps subbing themselves out and then asking to get back in when the game is already out of reach.

That said, when there are profits for both sides of the equation (borrowers & lenders), private investors/hard money lenders are more inclined to favor the project.

The other side of this is equation is affordability.