For several years we tried applying for a loan modification with Wells Fargo with no success.

The child's father is not applying for tenancy, but I just didn't want any problems to arise if he was still in the picture.

Make sure you know the local laws and use a standard lease for your area.This doesn't always apply to flips where time is money. 

My analogy roots from the stock market and goes like this; Some of the wealthiest investors don't pay attention to what the market is doing they do something called dollar-cost averaging where no matter what they buy a certain amount of stock, bond, ETF. 

Because If they can do it and be profitable, that can be applied in many ways.

If you knock out a lot of improvements when you first buy the house, it can be applied towards your taxes (consult your CPA blah blah blah).

Given this is a multi-unit you are house hacking, I'm not clear how that is applied exactly. 

I am wondering if this "two-year" applies to all States? 

Most general, nationwide 'rules of thumb' do not apply in any CA market that you'd want to invest in.

@Matthew Maggy,We had a tenant apply for the rent relief program in  mid-January, and   we didn't get a check until the end of April.