(long story) we were able to get their belongings into storage and they were able to stay with local family.

Your name can be obtained from that. 

I've never seen a link to owner names on Zillow.I know in our counties, the owner's names are not listed online in county records. 

My name is Neil, and I currently reside in Dallas, TX.For years, I've been intrigued by the potential of multi-family real estate, but I never took concrete steps to pursue this interest until recently.

Up until the trustee sale (foreclosure auction), the home is still owned and fully controlled by the home owner.I’m assuming you’re going to be looking at off-market properties (since loan status isn’t something they advertise on the MLS so you likely wouldn’t even know if it was in default if it’s a listed property).So, in that case, you’d just negotiate a purchase agreement with the home owner and then take the contract to your local escrow/title company to open escrow. 

Here is the specific language from Assembly Bill No. 68:a local agency, special district, or water corporation shall not require the applicant to install a new or separate utility connection directly between the accessory dwelling unit and the utility or impose a related connection fee or capacity charge, unless the accessory dwelling unit was constructed with a new single-family home.If the Planning Department is telling you that you need separate utilities and you're adding an ADU to a lot with an existing SFR, refer them to the above language from AB 68.

You can start real estate investing, reading resources, familiarizing yourself with the Albany, GA market, setting short-term and long-term goals, preparing financially, building a team, conducting property searches, conducting due diligence, making an offer, managing property, and joining local groups.

Go to local real estate meetups and see what investors also have a license.

Local planning department.

Because wholesale deals are not something advocated by your local Realtor assn.