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DBI housing-inspection team reports SRO COVID response and outreach
Summary
Chief housing inspector James Sanbon Metsu described monthly SRO inspections during the pandemic, liaison work with SRO collaboratives to support about 20,000 residents, and efforts to streamline annual unit-usage reporting and assist hotels and senior-safety lighting projects.
DBI's housing code-enforcement staff reported continued prioritization of single-room occupancy (SRO) inspections and COVID-related outreach.
Chief housing inspector James Sanbon Metsu said inspections in SROs are "fraught with danger" for staff but remain a priority because of the vulnerability of residents in small rooms with shared facilities. He said DBI is working closely with SRO collaboratives that support approximately 20,000 residents and highlighted staff participation with the city's COVID command center. "Responding to lots of complaints. You know, it's dicey trying to deal with all these issues," he said.
Sanbon Metsu also described DBI's completion of an annual unit-usage report and plans to move reporting online to reduce processing time, and mentioned specific interventions such as tracking permits for a hotel with a fire-alarm replacement and working on street-lighting for senior safety in a Tenderloin area.
Commissioners praised staff for preventing major outbreaks in SROs and for persistent day-to-day enforcement and outreach. Public commenters praised specific inspectors and raised separate transparency concerns about the permit-tracking system, which DBI staff said they are investigating.
