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Artists, advocates deliver 10,000-signature petition, urge DBI to avoid punitive inspections after Ghost Ship fire
Summary
A petitioner argued that DBI inspections following the Ghost Ship fire have led to evictions of artists and asked the department to pause unsolicited inspections, avoid enforcement that produces evictions and consider waiving permit fees for safety upgrades; DBI said it will present a joint update with Fire and Health in January.
Julie Mastrini, a San Francisco resident and media manager for Care2, told the Building Inspection Commission during public comment that she brought 10,000 petition signatures asking the department to change its approach to inspections of artist warehouse spaces following the Oakland Ghost Ship fire.
"By forcing inspections onto artist warehouses, you're conducting witch hunts," Mastrini said, urging the commission to "immediately cease unsolicited artist building inspections until more resources are in place for artists to either bring their buildings up to code in an affordable way, or access new affordable housing." She also asked DBI to avoid enforcement that results in evictions and to consider waiving permit fees for upgrades such as sprinkler systems and exits "anywhere this is possible."
The petitioner said she could not provide an exact count of evictions but had heard "about 10 or 11," and framed the request as a way to prevent displacement of artists who rely on low-cost work-and-live spaces.
DBI leadership and commissioners responded that the department has long-run outreach programs and partnerships intended to help legalize and improve safety in non‑traditional art spaces without forcing displacement. Vice President Walker thanked the speaker and said DBI's code enforcement outreach program aims to work with community organizations and other departments to avoid evictions where possible.
Commissioners and staff agreed to schedule a formal, interdepartmental presentation at the commission's next meeting in January to provide more detail on DBI's outreach and legalization efforts and to include Fire and Health in that briefing. That presentation will explain available compliance pathways and the department's plans to balance safety and housing stability.
The commission did not take formal action on the petition during the meeting; commissioners requested that staff return with a fuller presentation in January.
