I get his position, too much potential head-ache with unknown quantity of new partner(s) and potentially less return for him, when he has spent a life time forming his own company/dream team and investor pool.

Is this a pipe dream.

"Livable wage" is a mirage... if your hours are cut, or even worse the business shuts down because of the repercussions... add to that the fact that all every other business does is raise the prices of everything, then it's actually even worse...there's no such thing as this "livable wage" dream people throw around for McDonald's and Walmart workers.

I am reluctant to give up my Prop 13 tax breaks, and dreams of retiring to a home in San Diego with a low tax burden, but  the returns just aren't making sense at market rents.

Bad tenants can turn a beautiful dream into a nightmare.

My wife and I have two kids, a couple of sweet doggos, a house in the burbs, and all that normal American Dream stuff.

Find out what your child's hot buttons are and push them.When I was going to be entering middle school, my father knew I wanted to build my own car (I was the next Henry Ford with big dreams and that's all I could talk about).

@Debbie Cost, Not naive or a pipe dream. 

The dream, add in the low barrier of entry for investing and 10-25% cap rates.

This dream is possible.