Are there any other house hack ideas or thoughts on what to do with the basement for rent/forced appreciation?

It can be challenging to oversee all of this, but it is a way to force equity.

He did a full renovation and in the process switched from a wall heater/central forced air unit to mini splits.

The fire department may be able to force the door to be removed.   

Forcing equity is how you scale the fastest, and it will grow your network with contractors.

Retired Air Force (20 years) and currently a Program Mananger for Boeing Intelligence & Analysis in Maryland. 

This will force her to come to an agreement.

In the end I can only give them the chance to be amazing, I cannot force it, but I can give them a greater range of choices than I had. 

So instead of trying to force square peg's in round holes, maybe consider better uses of your energy, how to better get round peg's that fit nice and neatly, and at a nice profit I might add. 

However if you buy and force appreciation you are good.