San Francisco Building Inspection Director Patrick O’Riordan Retiring After 26 Years

Patrick O’Riordan, the Department of Building Inspection director who rose from field inspector to lead the agency, will retire effective March 20, 2026, after 26 years with DBI. The departure comes as the department continues to respond to oversight demands from the Board of Supervisors and to city proposals that could change how San Francisco regulates development.

O’Riordan joined DBI in 2000 as a field inspector and was promoted to chief building inspector in 2013. In that role from 2013 to 2020 he emphasized timeliness and professionalism as DBI handled approximately 5,000 inspections per month. He was appointed director on March 18, 2020 by the Building Inspection Commission, the seven-member body that oversees DBI, and led nearly 300 department members responsible for building and life safety across more than 200,000 commercial and residential buildings in the city’s 49 square miles.

DBI’s official profile describes O’Riordan as “well known for his engagement with the public and with DBI’s customers,” and says that “over the three decades he has worked in the industry, O’Riordan has taken a proactive, open and collaborative approach to engaging with stakeholders, customers and partners to stay current with the construction industry in San Francisco and implement best practices.” City and media accounts describe him as a carpenter-turned-inspector who began his career in County Cork, Ireland, emigrated to the United States in the early 1980s and worked as a carpenter and general contractor before joining DBI.

O’Riordan became director at a time when the agency was under heightened scrutiny. Media reports link his 2020 appointment to the resignation of predecessor Tom Hui amid a corruption probe, but reporting is inconsistent on whether that probe was federal or a municipal investigation by the City Attorney’s Office. Audits and investigative reporting cited by local outlets described a culture of informal decision-making, weak internal controls and inconsistent enforcement that reformers said required corrective management.

The retirement also comes while Mayor Daniel Lurie has proposed a charter change to merge the Planning Department and DBI, a measure that would require voter approval and could reshape permitting and enforcement. Media accounts note O’Riordan told the Chronicle his departure is unrelated to the merger.

Operational continuity will be a focus for residents and developers who rely on DBI for permits, inspections and code enforcement. City records show DBI oversight responsibilities include building, housing, plumbing, electrical and mechanical codes, disability access regulations, and enforcement of habitability in more than 20,000 apartments and 500 residential hotels. The Board of Supervisors’ Land Use and Transportation Committee requested a DBI report in September 2025 on incentives and penalties for vacant and blighted commercial properties, underscoring continuing legislative oversight.

For service and follow-ups, DBI’s Media Api listing, Updated: April 30, 2025, provides operational contacts: MAURICIO HERNANDEZ CHIEF BUILDING INSPECTOR - (628)652-3440; Code Enforcement Section phone: (628) 652-3430 | Fax: (628) 652-3439. Other listed personnel include GILBERT LAM Senior Building Inspector (628)652-3694; CHARLES ROBINSON Permit Technician III (628)652-3695; RONDA QUEEN Permit Technician II (628)652-3726; CHESTER CHIU Building Inspector (628)652-3418; MATT GREENE DEPUTY DIRECTOR (628)652-3539; PATRICK O’RIORDAN DIRECTOR (628)652-3500; GILES SAMARASINGHE MANAGER INSPECTION SERVICES (628)652-3350; MIKE CHUNG Building Inspector (628)652-3411; DANIEL HELMINIAK Building Inspector (628)652-3443; DECLAN MCCONN Building Inspector (628)652-3415; JOE PENA Building Inspector (628)652-3611; MELISSA O. REYES Permit Technician II (628)652-3427; AYLIN YAVUZ Permit Technician II (628)652-3437; HEATHER BROOKS Permit Technician I (628)652-3448; SONYA L. BRYANT Permit Technician I (628)652-3449; HARUYO GIBBONS Permit Technician I (628)652-3428; SUSAN JEW Permit Technician I (628)652-3378; THOMAS MOYER Permit Technician I (628)652-3419; KEVIN LIU Building Inspector (628)652-6921; CARL MALCHOW Senior Building Inspector (628)652-3438; CHRIS FRANCIS Building Inspector (628)652-3612; DOMINIC KEANE Building Inspector (628)652-3447; JIMMY GUAIUMI Building Inspector (628)652-3446; LAURA TORRES Building Inspector (628)652-33426. DBI code enforcement counter hours are listed as 4th Floor Counter Monday: 9:00am - 5:00pm; Tuesday-Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm. General Inspector Office Hours are 8:00am - 9:00am and 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

What comes next for residents is practical: the mayor’s office and the Building Inspection Commission must indicate a succession plan, and the Board of Supervisors will continue oversight on enforcement issues such as vacant and blighted properties. Neighbors, landlords and contractors should expect continuity planning at DBI and watch for formal announcements about an interim director or permanent replacement ahead of the March 20 transition.