Sunday, May 11th 2025

Greetings,

The Department of Building Inspection (DBI) now falls under the jurisdiction of the Permit Center, which is responsible for overseeing the operations of all related departments. To improve the permitting process, Mayor Daniel Lurie has established a committee called PermitSF, which meets quarterly to develop a more user-friendly and efficient system.

Below is the latest update on changes taking place at the Permit Center.

I am still working on including a resource page on my website, stay tuned.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Repeal of ABE Ordinance
• New Hours of Operation
• Resignation of Deputy Director of Permit Services, Neville Pereira
• Potential North Beach Historic Designation
• 2025 Updated DBI Forms

Repeal of ABE Ordinance

Ordinance No. 22-25 enacted on April 7, 2025, amends the Building, Administrative, and Public Works Codes to remove the local requirement for existing buildings with a place of public accommodation to have all primary entries and paths of travel into the building accessible to persons with disabilities or to receive a City determination of equivalent facilitation, technical infeasibility, or unreasonable hardship; and affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act. However, business and properties are still required to comply with disability access requirements outlined under the California Building Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act for new projects.

People with open applications or issued permits should contact DBI's Technical Services Division at techq@sfgov.org for next steps.

Please visit DBI's new webpage to learn more about how to make your building accessible and compliant by clicking the button below: 

Financial assistance is still available. Apply for a grant if you need support in making your small business more accessible.

New Hours of Operation

Permit Center Hours

Monday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Tuesday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

SF Recreations and Parks (RPD) has limited hours:

Thursday and Friday: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

You can book online or find more information on how to reach staff by clicking the button below:

Resignation of Deputy Director of Permit Services

Deputy Director of Permit Services Neville Pereira, recently left his position abruptly, with no official explanation provided by DBI. While the exact reason remains unconfirmed, it is presumed to be related to the challenges in managing permit services.

Congratulations to Mary Wilkinson-Church on her appointment as Deputy Director of Permit Services, replacing Neville Pereira.

At the direction of City Hall, DBI has also postponed its request for proposals (RFP) to replace its outdated, 25-year-old permit-tracking system. According to a DBI spokesperson, the RFP process is now being managed by Planning Director Rich Hillis, who is also leading the PermitSF initiative.

Potential North Beach Historic Designation

The debate over granting North Beach a historic designation continues to stir controversy...

Residents will have to wait longer to learn whether a proposal to add a federally recognized historic designation to part of the neighborhood will move forward. The State Historical Resources Commission has postponed a hearing—originally set for Friday—to consider the application that would extend historical protections to 625 buildings in North Beach.

The delay comes in response to a complaint that some business owners within the proposed district were not properly notified about the application. This follows an earlier postponement in February, requested by Mayor Daniel Lurie.

The latest delay prolongs a contentious debate that has placed preservation advocates at odds with those pushing for faster housing development in the area.

2025 Updated DBI Forms

Enclosed are updated forms for 2025, please click button below for access.