As plugged-in reader reports:
“483 & 497 Valley Street were just listed @ $1.425 million for both [the cottage and lot]…with city-approved plans for a 4B/3.5 Bath, 2-car garage [on the lot]. The permit #200701101441 was filed in Jan/2007…[and] last sold in 9/2005 for $900,000. Nice appreciation if they get it. Would love to see the plans that were approved…”
Of course it’s not pure appreciation (on account of the approved plans), but so would we (like to see ’em). Tipsters?
It appears from the City Database that the permit for the new building is still in City Planning under Discretionary Review (with Tom Wang) since 2007. No one has approved anything. CPB is the clerical staff
From the MLS Listing
“This is ONE lot that has an existing 2 bedroom remodeled cottage that can remain”
Probably doesn’t even have the lot split yet. Hopefully its been filed for at DPW.
The issue that it hasn’t been approved just means that the final bribe has not been paid.
Once the planning dept. lead has received his “envelope” and Bevan Dufty has received a “campaign contribution”, this will sail through.
Either way, pretty bold of the realtor to post it as city approved…
jimmy,
“Once the planning dept. lead has received his “envelope” and Bevan Dufty has received a “campaign contribution”, this will sail through.”
sounds like you base this opinion on experience- yours or someone else’s. its never happened to me or any of my developer friends so i’m interested to hear your experience.
please share.
Paco, ask around some more and you’ll hear lots of stories. My wife was a City Attorney for years and investigated these kinds of claims all the time. Remember the “permit expediters” that even Gavin Newsom admitted using? Of course. “expedite” = “bribe”. The claims were found to be valid about 80% of the time and people were quietly fired.
But kudos to you for refusing to play this game. It’s sick. I think it has waned considerably since Newsom and DBI cracked down on it.
Trip, Paco, JImmy,
It’s not waned, it’s dead. That does not happen anymore. It happened under Slick Willy all the time, but several FBI stings, some arrests, firing, job shuffling, etc. have taken care of it.
I used to do it. I wish you still could. It was a much better system. Permits faster for some more money. That money went to people working harder/longer so your permit moved faster, and the city collected it’s fees at pick-up. All in all it was a good thing.
Well, I certainly disagree that graft and corruption “was a good thing” (although I’m sure it was “good” for those, like you, who participated in it), but it is great to hear that this despicable practice is dead.
“I think it has waned considerably since Newsom and DBI cracked down on it.
”
It has. Nowadays an expediter is someone who knows code backwards and forwards, and who knows people and can bet appointments. But actual envelopes being passed under tables? I hear that went away back in 2004 when they went after Walter Wong.
I agree that advertising permits for something that doesn’t have permits is complete b.s. The problem with eradicating it is this. Who’s gonna sue? If they’re actually nowhere, you can realize in about five minutes that the permits are nowhere. Only someone who moves forward on a very expensive proposition, only to realize that “Gee whiz. I actually don’t have permits” would have impetus to sue.
Good for the city coffers, schools, and affordable housing as well.
Note it was pulled from the MLS…