I know STR regulations have loosened as of recently and there are available permits in our sector for STR's.

I come out of the nonprofit sector and am still very much involved in that work.

A colleague of mine is interested in these for his private sector foreclosure prevention business... since this is clearly a better option than the ridiculous 90-day moratorium, I thought I'd help him out, so...Where do I get a list of NOD's (preferrably in So-Cal counties- Orange, SD, LA, Riverside, San Bernadino) with phone #'s?

Call me a skeptic but I don't believe there is a free lunch with anything and this commercial sector must have some caveat that allows it to stay more profitable than residential.

This sector is totally different to what I'm used to, so it is a learning process.  

Head for the alternative finance sector.

It could be considered the worldwide standard that is preached in every RE investing book you've read, and it even may have been true in Houston many years ago, but is not the case today.

From a commercial real estate standpoint, because of the city's symbiotic relationships with the energy sector, Houston is often looked at closely as a indicator of where the US CRE market in general might head.  

He goes over multiple sectors of the economy and gives his forecast on what is going to happen.

But if you accept the fact that you may be only moving laterally in your 1031 if you have to stay in a certain geography or sector you may still find it to your advantage if all you do is move to easier management, less cap ex, and no hoa.