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Public commenters press DBI on enforcement and plan-check errors; director unveils permit-tracking timeline
Summary
Public commenters told the Building Inspection Commission that notices of violation were ignored and that permit plans misrepresented existing units; DBI’s director announced an RFP for a permit-tracking system, budget reductions and staff redeployment to address backlogs.
Public commenters at the Building Inspection Commission’s Nov. meeting said the Department of Building Inspection failed to enforce notices of violation and that plan checks have allowed improper unit conversions.
At the start of the public-comment period a resident raised an enforcement complaint about 135 Camino Del Mar, saying the department issued at least two notices of violation in June–July but construction continued. The commenter asked the commission to "do a thorough investigation" and asked the director for a report on why enforcement did not halt the work.
Steve Collier, a staff attorney at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, described a separate case at 793–795 Arguello Boulevard where plans submitted to the department labeled a ground-floor garbage room as an "existing" studio. "This blatant lie to the department got a permit issued," Collier said, and he warned that subsequent remodeling and unit mergers removed tenants’ rights to return and urged the department to investigate plan-check practices and consider policy changes.
In response, the department’s director outlined near-term changes and tools intended to improve oversight. The director said reserve funds have been released and that an RFP for a permit-tracking system will be issued around Jan. 2, with bids expected by March 1 and implementation starting in May; two temporary positions tied to the project were also authorized. The director said staff are cutting discretionary expenses, redeploying personnel into code-enforcement roles to clear backlogs, and working to clean up permit databases and expired permits.
Commissioners and the director also discussed workforce planning tied to expected retirements and how to preserve staffing while managing retirement payouts. The city attorney’s office later advised the commission on procedure for reviewing code amendments and suggested establishing review periods so the commission and the Code Advisory Committee have adequate time to consider proposed legislation.
The commission did not take formal enforcement action during the meeting; commissioners asked the director to investigate the specific public complaints and to report back at a future meeting. The next BIC meeting was scheduled for Dec. 17.
