Make sure the mortgage is drawn up by your lawyer to protect your interests when he dies.

You need to sit down with a lawyer and a CPA to discuss this.

A couple of them are partners are law firms or public accounting firms, one is a smart lawyer at a small ish law firm but not a partner....A controller, base at $230K, 30% bonus and RSU....A recruitor called yesterday with a sr finance manager position base at $180K + bonus + RSU, and said can maybe stratch a bit more.... that is only a manager level....So personally I know 4-5 of them making $700K ish...

Ask them if they will finance some or all, them tell your lawyer or agent to write it up.

Same with lawyers (think divorce).

No luck.Next, the lawyer filed a lawsuit stating the lien was invalid, the work was crap, and we were going to sue him for the amount we had to pay to get his work fixed, attorney's fees and court costs.

Not a lawyer but 12% is usury in CA, unless you're licensed. 

My partner contributed his land, and found his own 'silent' capital partners - so the attorneys had to negotiate some defensive clauses to ensure each of our 'sides' were protected.Since he is contributing the land, but you are contributing actual capital, consider having your lawyer negotiate a clause where you both are 50/50 voting partners (and both guarantors to the loan), but you get all the income distribution (minus what your partner requires for annual taxes) until your capital is repaid; you can even specify who gets what percentage of the tax depreciation credit. 

My lawyer is researching the ordinance and I know there have been several threats of litigation to block it, but I haven't heard anything concrete as of yet.

If you can do your business by email and phone, I can connect you to a couple of good RE lawyers