Leases.

The renter should be paying the rent and possibly utilities depending on the lease agreement with you responsible for PITI. 

Now since its a commercial property it could be written in the lease that the tenant is responsible. 

Having it allows me to not only to buy, sell and pay myself but it helps us on our taxes since we are investors (ask your CPA about being a "real estate professional"), allows us to view homes when we want, I can lease property in my state and it allows me to be a property manager.

We have a year lease that ends in June of 2019.

Is there a way that you could get this property under a long term contract like a lease option or something, get the variance, then apply for conventional financing on the parcel with the home? 

I just do not understand how people can move into a unit without a lease, so they are not tenants and they can just stay there rent free.

Keep in mind that you need to live in the property so make sure that is feasible with regard to current leases.

The current renters are on a month to month lease renting around 600.

I let my tenant know that I would not be renewing our 1 year lease in March of 2019 because I wanted to sell the apartment.