In most cases they will try and help where they can.Not saying this is right or wrong but I had a similar situation with a property and after getting past the underwriting and securing it I went to the city (Atlanta) and said I just acquired the property, realized it was a quad that was converted from a duplex sometime in the distant past but the building was still zoned as a duplex and wanted to go through the process of having it moved to a quad.

That sounds like a well-considered plan, and visiting in person is a great first step.

What is it called (form or process) to have the duplex/triplex be contingent based on the amount it will cost to fully renovate/rehab?

@Ray WhiteI recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation and tax planning for high earners.

We are looking into strategies to further streamline the process and allow us to regain more of our time.

We do have our account reconciliations audited by a 3rd party quarterly, which helps catch errors before they impact our clients.Highly recommend any owner dealing with a PMC discuss with their PMC and their tax professional, or an expert like @Sean O'Keefe, about how to improve processes and communications to make this process smoother:)

If they do inquire we just say we have plans for an extensive reno or the owner is requesting the unit emptied.

I would shop this out with a broker that could save you some money in the long term depending on how you are planning on keeping the property.

But, this simple process excludes mortgage debt.   

You are highly unlikely to curb the tenant's behavior because:1) It seems they've been doing what they want for a while and now feel entitled2) Your post shows you don't have the assertiveness necessary to deal with this situationSo, recommend you either hire an attorney to start the eviction process or handle a PMC.