The market rent needs to be around $1,800 per side and no more than 2k a month (depending of finshes) I'm having a hard time getting someone to nail down a price on construction cost.

When you're consistently sharing valuable insights, educational content, and even a sprinkle of your own personality, potential investors start envisioning themselves partnering with you.

So if you really wanted to, this is a potential option. 

You are new, so you don't have a pool of contractors, or know what things really cost, or what a scope of work truly entails and if you are getting fair bids or not.  

The cost to get it permitted could be costly.

Obtaining a $200K loan to cover the tax appears to carry a similar risk of a lien, potentially jeopardizing my mortgage approval.What would you advise in this situation?

This should help offset some of the interest costs but want to make sure that I will have claim on the rental income. 

Not unreasonable to ask them to cut it down IMO.I would sue private nuisance and injunction from maintaining a private nuisance, and for interfering with prospective economic advantage (scaring away potential tenants with prospect of dwelling and car damage).Start with a nasty-gram from lawyer since you already asked and was turned down. 

At this point, a house hack might not be the best option for me because the housing costs in California are too high.

I believe in the power of networking and sharing knowledge, and I’m eager to connect with fellow investors to explore potential collaborations and opportunities.Feel free to reach out if you’d like to chat or meet up!