This creates two challenges for me:1) I'd like to do moderate to significant renovations on the units, and my business partner plans on owner-occupying one of the units, so we would need to permanently vacate one or, depending on the property, even all of the units. 2) In order to make the numbers work I'd need to dramatically increase rents (by several hundred dollars/month) to bring them up to market levels. 

A big advantage of real estate is your risk drops quickly as your knowledge increases. 

If you make renovations and/or additions to the property which will increase the value of the property, it is possible to refinance and pull equity out. 

I would be more likely though to find a way to market the apartments to law enforcement to increase the probability of a law enforcement officer moving in.

Does any one have experience purchasing a VA loan backed property utilizing an ARM and then refi'ing into the IRRRYL before the rate increases? 

Howdy @Ryan ClevengerBesides living in it for one year you will have to figure out how to increase the equity in the property.  

Every 6 months request a credit line increase. 

The house currently has tile throughout, however, the br are different color tile than the hall, and the 1 bath has a different color tile than the br.  

Increasing prime rates, partial dismantling of Dodd-Frank, and Fannie Mae increasing allowable debt to income for new purchases to 50%.

I'm skeptical of steady rental increases for 30 years.