Public raises safety and permit‑approval questions for 3665 Clay Street; DBI says investigation points to training issue

During general public comment at the Aug. 20 Building Inspection Commission meeting, several speakers alleged that the Department of Building Inspection improperly issued or finaled permits for work at 3665 Clay Street and that adjoining buildings were compromised.

Jerry Drattler, a frequent public commenter, said DBI “should not have issued or finaled 63665 Clay Street building permits” and urged a “rigorous investigation by DBI, City Attorney Kestly Stewart and Christopher Verguerra” with a report to the commission. Drattler said a Planning Department Notice of Enforcement issued in March 2021 for three violations — work without permit, unauthorized dwelling unit, and unauthorized alterations — remained open and that one of two notices of violation (NOVs) for unsafe buildings had been closed in March 2024 while the other remained open.

Another public commenter and industry participant described permits, expired shoring permits and use of special inspections by contractors affiliated with the project. The comments named contractor John Pollard and engineer Harold Howell as being on DBI’s expanded compliance control (ECC) list and questioned why some inspections were performed by staff who should not have been assigned to ECC projects.

DBI’s deputy director for inspection services, Matthew Green, responded during the item for inspection services. Green acknowledged the department had been looking into the 3665 Clay Street case and said, “once Harold Howell lost their appeal before this commission and John Pollard lost, or withdrew his appeal, he was officially on the expanded compliance control list… Peter Wynne, who was mentioned, should not have been doing the inspections. I think this is more of a training issue rather than any, bad activity on Inspector Wynne.” Green said DBI is working to verify and ensure the correct senior inspectors perform these inspections in the future.

Separately, Director Patrick O’Riordan told commissioners earlier in his director’s report that DBI is starting a project to cancel more than 11,000 abandoned over‑the‑counter permits in the permit tracking system and that the department will send courtesy notices to property owners. He also announced the appointment of longtime structural engineer David Cain as deputy director for permit services.

Ending: The commission did not take formal action on the public comments but asked DBI for a follow‑up on training and assignment changes; DBI said it would work to verify proper inspector assignment and said it will report back to the commission at a future meeting.