If I choose to not renew and there are damages or he doesn't pay his last few months (he has about 3 months left) what are the simplest actions to take to collect the rent owed or money for damages?

If you did it based on square footage of the units, that is probably the simplest for heat. 

TIC at it's simplest form refers to tenants in common. 

You could even try cash app which is the simplest lol. 

Once that one was paid off we then moved to the next lowest and on and on...The snowball method (lowest balance first) is simplest if all rates and terms are similar, especially if you're bumping up against the number of GSE loans you can have limits. 

Read self help, books on improving your personal skills, how to effectively understand what people want and what you want from them, your ability to communicate with the people you want to be more connected with starts with your EQ, of course rich dad poor dad is a great start, but having a good foundation in communication, and practicing it daily will help you grow, you can learn real estate anywhere, people skills is an in the trenches skill, start with smiling at strangers and getting smile back its the simplest form of an exchange.

In my opinion though the BRRRR strategy is the simplest concept to understand. 

It is probably the simplest way in CA to handle the transaction.  

The simplest starting method for a person with little starting capital, from my perspective here in San Diego, is to utilize a 3.5% down FHA loan (and/or VA, if you have it), seek out properties that are slightly under market rent, give termination of tenancy to the unit with the biggest delta of rent vs. leading rent in the neighborhood, move into that unit while you renovate it, and then rent the unit at leading market rent a year or so when you move out.

I wonder if it ties into Chris’ points above from what he learned from his attorney.The simplest explanation I can provide is this: Both Dodd Frank Act, and the regulations issued by the CFPB put very specific restrictions on financing of consumer residential properties.