Purchased as an older two-story, two-unit building for $1.3 million in September of 2014, permits to remodel and expand the Dolores Heights duplex at 3790-3792 21st Street were approved in 2016, issued in 2017, and the structure was then taken down to its framing (and wrapped). Having passed its... Read More »

Purchased as a vacant two-unit building for $690,000 in September of 2001, a permit to remodel the kitchen on the main/second floor of the rather lovely Victorian at 1016 Pierce Street was requested and approved in 2010. A bathroom remodel was permitted in 2011. And in 2014, an over... Read More »

Having completed a “Public Integrity Review” of the Department of Building Inspection’s (DBI’s) permitting and inspection processes, driven by a need to root out departmental fraud and a history of inappropriate activities, the Controller’s Office of San Francisco has identified the following weaknesses in the DBI’s systems, processes and... Read More »

Plans to add a new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to the four-unit Noe Valley building at 1475 Church Street were drawn and approved back in mid-2018. And the completed work was then inspected and approved by a Department of Building Inspection (DBI) inspector in March of 2019. Following the... Read More »

Purchased as a “grand and totally vacant” 2-unit building, “with ample opportunity for expansion and renovation in a prime Presidio Heights location,” for $3.95 million in October of 2019, a permit for an “in kind only” and non-structural renovation of the 4,165-square-foot Victorian at 3665 Clay Street was approved... Read More »

As proposed by Supervisor Ronen, individuals, agents and entities that have a history of circumventing and abusing the City’s permitting process – such as working without a permit; misrepresenting the existing conditions of a property in order to facilitate the approval of a permit; or working beyond the scope... Read More »

Purchased as a little two-unit building with “old world charm” for $2.175 million in April of 2018, permits to expand and remodel the two units at 842-844 Lyon Street were secured that June and the building was soon under wraps. Having returned to the market as two “spectacularly remodeled”... Read More »

While common in practice and rarely enforced, parking in the setback/driveway between a home’s garage and the sidewalk in San Francisco is technically illegal per Planning Code Section 132(f), and that includes the parking/storage of any motor vehicles, trailers and/or boats. In addition, the curb cut in front of... Read More »

Having been accused of routinely engaging in the under-permitted renovation and expansion of residential properties throughout San Francisco, Ashok Gujral, a local real estate developer, has agreed to pay $1.2 million to settle with the City. In addition to the cash settlement, Gujral has been required “to bring all... Read More »

Having secured a permit to simply conduct an “exploratory demo to determine sheetrock and termite damage,” the new owner of the Bernal Heights home at 310 Moncalm Street, which was purchased for $925,000 in November of 2015, began a full remodel and expansion of the property. Flagged by neighbors... Read More »