Additionally, there is usually a document in the loan doc set that has you certifying that no family members would be occupying the subject property. 

It's not at all normal that commercial mortgages have lower rates than owner occupied single family homes... we shall see how long that lasts for.

I am too busy to hear about the latest unit that got broken into and stripped.. or the latest drama of tenant who cant or wont pay either their total rent or their portion of the rent after the section 8 payment. and then the constant turn over and cost associated with turnover.. the Investors buying these are not C and D class folks like the tenants that are going to occupy their props so they really have very little clue about how those folks live their life and on the razor sharp edge they are financially.

And some are reasonable at both of these things, but can't handle owner-occupied units, or multiple ownership structures, or lack the flexibility to track a real-estate related side hustle.

I'm interested in writing an offer on a duplex in Columbus OH that is currently occupied with Section 8 tenants on both sides.

People get excited about auctions.In the future, I'd look into ways to make the property look occupied. 

You need it to be a great deal and be very very quick on your rehab to make those numbers work.Another solution is to stay in your current home a year, then turn it into a rental and buy another house that needs work with a owner occupied rehab loans. 

Purchase price: $260,000 Cash invested: $9,800 owner occupied, future rental property

I am trying to house hack (3.5% down, owner-occupied, rent other rooms) in the Bay Area (driving distance about an hour from Redwood City and SF).

Are you going to owner occupy the house via FHA?