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Inspectors and residents push back on SIA draft; commission alerted to meet-and-confer schedule
Summary
Multiple DBI inspectors and public commenters told the commission the proposed Statement of Incompatible Activities (SIA) is too broad, may restrict inspectors’ ability to work, and needs clearer meet-and-confer procedures; staff pointed commissioners to an Oct. 12 Ethics Commission session and follow-ups.
Building inspectors and members of the public used the commission’s public-comment period to raise concerns about the Ethics Commission’s draft Statement of Incompatible Activities (SIA) and how it would affect DBI employees.
Thomas Thirield, who identified himself as a DBI district inspector, said several SIA provisions "just really don't seem to make much sense to us" and warned that certain prohibitions could cut inspectors off from legitimate work they must take to maintain their livelihoods. "Some of this you want us to talk to the ethics commissioner," he said, noting that practical field circumstances can create ambiguous conflicts.
The acting director’s office told the commission that the SIA is being handled through the Ethics Commission’s meet-and-confer process and announced a session for Oct. 12 at 44 Gulf Street, Room 106. The director’s office said DBI staff will attend and sought to encourage staff and unions to participate in subsequent individualized bargaining sessions.
Other commenters pressed for clarifications about contractor licensing, family-owned properties and how the SIA would apply to employees who do not live in San Francisco but work in the field. "If I were to become, say, a building manager or a building engineer for an apartment building, would that be an incompatible activity?" one inspector asked.
Public speakers also urged the commission to consider larger housing-quality and inspection issues. Francisco de Costa, an environmental justice advocate, asked whether the department could do more to vet construction quality and to coordinate with other agencies on inspection standards for thousands of proposed units in the southeast portion of the city.
DBI officials and commissioners acknowledged the concerns and encouraged participation in the Ethics Commission meet-and-confer process. Commissioners suggested the department staff and affected bargaining units be given individual opportunities to meet with Ethics Commission staff to work through specific issues rather than a single all‑hands meeting.
No formal action was taken on the SIA at the meeting; the commission scheduled related follow-up agenda items and requested staff updates on consultations with the Ethics Commission.
