I suggest you call the underwriter directly or contact them via the email contact provided in the policy and pose the question. 

Yes, these savings were temporary but nevertheless valuable.

My PM just sent an email to her and called it a written evidence.

Send me your email if you're interested.

Contractors (welders, pipefitters, boilermakers etc) that come here to work temporary jobs at the refinery are the people that rent my STRs.

Problem #2: My emails were far more lucky than my phone calls.

From my first call or email to you, how long do you typically take to fund a request?

Then if they say you can rent it as a duplex get it in writing maybe through email.   

You just have to do an LOE, letter of explanation, short email that says why you are taking it off which would be bc you are keeping it. 

To expand on what @Michael Plaks stated - yes you most likely can do a 1031, the next question is you should be asking if you should do a 1031.It isn't free to do a 1031 - you don't want to spend $2k in fees to have a temporary deferral of what would have been $4k of tax.