The intent was to maximize small businesses' ability to maintain liquidity, retain their employees and recover from this health crisis as quickly as possible. 

Account ClosedIf I had to start today with $40k and making $30k/Yr in Commercial RE Management without family obligations, I would concentrate on networking with exactly the same people you are asking to comment here.The people who will wind up still being $ Millionaires after this Crisis and who may have also survived the previous crisis such as the GFC and 9/11 will probably have the best advice for you in your circumstances.Building up trust and a network of really skilled people as well as continuing your Education is going to be huge for you.What you will need to do is leverage what you bring to the Table.The $40k helps, but I believe your knowledge and experience in Commercial RE will probably be a big plus for a high caliber Mentor.There's an old saying, Your Net Worth = Your Network.

From what a lot of big name real estate investors are predicting, we're in for a pretty big foreclosure crisis come 2021, so I think you'll see a lot more inventory out there later next year and that should ease up on the competition side of finding deals, but you'll probably have a little more difficult time finding buyers.After you feel like you have an idea of what your gameplan is to find deals, I would recommend building out a buyers list.

Meanwhile the tenant stays in your place, presumably not paying, and owners without adequate reserves and "emergency funds" could be in crisis. 

Who was born before 2008 and remembers the negative housing market and gas crisis and recession?

Putting second notes on houses that totaled more than 100% debt was one of the contributing factors to the housing crisis in 2008, so banks are more careful now.However, because your equity is probably growing pretty quickly, you may be able to build a position fairly quickly that allows you to pull out some equity on one house at a time.

However, she is going through a major life crisis and is going through abuse from her kids father.

Passive income can be a great way to help you generate extra cash flow, and the economic upheaval largely caused by the COVID-19 crisis is a testament to the value of having multiple streams of income.⁣⁣With the pandemic throwing the job situation of many Americans into disarray, passive income helps you bridge the gap if you suddenly become unemployed or even if you voluntarily take time away from work.

@Amber Lister: I was trying to find this great CBRE graph that basically showed real estate values are far outpacing rent growth, hence the 3% in financial crisis becoming the 2%, becoming the 1%, and now in most stable submarkets of major metros, you are looking at 0.5-0.75% rule.  

Then call the crisis hotlines and look for a shelter that can house her for a couple days.