Is it legal to purchase say a 4-plex and never live in it at all with an FHA loan?

I'm not a lawyer, no legal advice.  

If a CC&R's say that a particular protected class of people can't own the property or live there, is that still a legally binding regulation that must be followed by new owners?

Not legal advice.

thank you BenThank you JohnRegarding self-employment over a w-2 jobWhen I was just out of the Marine Corps and I had this job at Johnson Controls engineering firm because I was a science major, had a lot of calculus physics and chemistryMy job was to sell to developers and builders That wanted air and water  control devices and I was on straight commission basicallyI had like $20,000 in commissions that they  didn't pay me for I got really upset and at 25 yrs of age I didn't have very much EQ, and my emotions got the best me I basically even went to a lawyer and asked  how can I get my 20,000 in commissions here's the proof they owe me the moneyMy lawyer says it's gonna cost you 10,000 in legal fees to sue them at a minimum he's going to need that upfront as a retainerAnd then there was no guarantees I would get the 20 kThat's why I made the commitment at 25 never ever ever be a W-2 employee and I work as a 1099 alwaysThen I found a real estate 60-year-old mentor who taught me everything from distressed property to foreclosures to divorce to bankruptcy to probateI work for five hundred a week for 2 and a half years and then opened up my own business and did approximately 28 seller interviews a weekMy closing ratio in the beginning wasn't very good because I sucked at itBut with the good coaching from my teacher I got better and better and betterI quit after 2 1/2 years and started my own company on a shoestring it wasn't easyBut I made over hundred thousand dollars my first year if it wasn't for the teacher I would not know how to run a business and I would not know how to hire people and I would not know how to market and I would not know how to negotiateAnd you never stop learning because I made a Ton of money I was 29 and I made over 1 million and a quarter I rolled it back into the company which was a mistakeBut live and learn!

But given the issues above, even a couple instances of turnovers or legal proceedings can wipe out a good chunk of your profits.

It seems like it's legal to rent while you are attempting to work things out with the mortgage company.  

However I know  that's expensive so there might be a way to get someone else to pick up the legal tab.

Michael, The horrible situation described in the think progress article should be covered under the legal concept of 'lack of foreseesbilty'.I believe the surviving party who's name is on the lease inform the landlord he cannot be held legally responsible for a random act an committed by a government agency who actions resulted in the death of a friend who's presence at the residence at the time could not have been reasonably predicted to have produced an outcome that would have normally resulted in damage to the property owners property. 

Before you can legally make the existing 3 unit building a 4 unit, you need to speak with your building and/or zoning department to receive their blessing.