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DBI presents MOU tracking; tenant advocates urge stronger complaint channels with Housing Authority
Summary
The Building Inspection Commission reviewed the MOU between DBI and the San Francisco Housing Authority and discussed how DBI handles tenant complaints. DBI staff reported about 195 MOU-tracked complaints since 2007 and urged better intake, a single point of entry and stronger interagency communication; tenant advocates called for revisiting the agreement.
The Building Inspection Commission on March 20 discussed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that governs how the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) handles complaints about San Francisco Housing Authority properties.
Rosemarie Boske, Chief Housing Inspector for DBI, told commissioners the department assembled a tracking table after the MOU was adopted and "as you can see from 2007 on to date, we have received approximately, a 195 complaints," which DBI has categorized by issue (heat, hot water, mold, plumbing, electrical, pests and similar conditions). Boske said the MOU creates a protocol for routing complaints to the Housing Authority and their general counsel and produced faster, more documented responses than had been standard.
Tenant advocates told the commission the MOU undercounts problems and lacks clarity for residents seeking repairs. "I'm Sarah Short with the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco," Short said, adding that tenants often do not know whether to use 311, report directly to property management, or contact DBI. She urged the commission to "reevaluate the MOU a bit" and consider strengthening tracking, communication and tenant outreach so recurring problems and response times are more visible.
Commissioners pressed staff on how DBI verifies abatement. Boske said DBI generally sends an inspector for life-safety cases but may accept an action plan and tenant follow-up for minor maintenance issues. "If it's a life safety case, then generally we would send an inspector out," she said, adding cases are closed only after DBI documents compliance through inspection or an approved action plan.
DBI staff and commissioners discussed practical fixes including a single point of intake (so 311 or another designated channel funnels complaints consistently to DBI and the Housing Authority), updated intake fields for better tracking, clearer tenant-facing guidance about reporting and a plan to review the MOU with the newly constituted Housing Authority commission. Boske said negotiating the MOU took two years and that DBI will offer recommendations during the current reorganization of the Housing Authority.
Public commenters urged more administrative follow-through: one resident suggested consolidating notices of violation by address to identify repeat offenders, and tenant advocates requested DBI provide tenants clearer instructions on how to report and follow up.
The commission did not take formal action on the MOU at this meeting but asked DBI staff to provide a copy of the current MOU and to return with recommendations after DBI completes a case-by-case tally and analysis.
The commission requested that DBI coordinate with the Housing Authority and city administrator to explore a centralized reporting channel and improved tenant outreach as next steps.
