In a 1031 exchange, you need to use your funds to acquire/improve property that you do not already own.   

So I would like to hear your POV and different strategies on acquiring more deals.

I personally am okay with having a cosigner for a tenant because this adds an additional person who is financially responsible for the lease if the tenant is unable to pay rent or for damages they cause. 

heloc terms are not the same as fannie mortgage terms (like @Chris Mason mentioned)for instance I have a 90% heloc on an old primary that was ZERO cost, and the rate is prime -.001%. this additional LTV might help your cause. a heloc is also not necessarily due once you move.

In addition, in our lease agreements we require tenants toobtain renters insurance for theirs and our protection. 

In time I will do a refinance of this property in the future and just continually acquiring more properties from there.

Common additional apps are things like Receipt Bank or Hubdoc for receipts.

for such a small addition, skip the architect and just get a general contractor

If I were able to acquire my next investment through cash and/or bridge loan, install my section 8 tenant and show a couple of months of rental payments, is there a lender out there that would use that lease and its accompanying Housing Assistance Payment contract I would have with the local housing authority? 

These forms provide a written confirmation of the terms of the oral rental agreement and help prevent misunderstandings or disputes down the line.By having tenants sign estoppel forms, you can verify important details such as rental amounts, deposit amounts, and any additional agreements or responsibilities.