San Francisco sues Tenderloin building owners over fire-damaged housing

San Francisco is taking a Tenderloin landlord to court over a fire-damaged building the city says stayed occupied far too long despite missing utilities, broken elevators and other safety failures. City Attorney David Chiu’s office sued Golden Tiger LLC and owner Adam La over 155 Hyde Street, a six-story, 52-unit residential and commercial property where officials say tenants were left living in unsafe conditions after a June 11, 2025 fire.

The case turns on a basic question of tenant safety: after the blaze, how were people still living there? City officials said the fire caused substantial damage to the building’s electrical system and boiler, leaving the property without electricity, gas, hot water or working elevators. The San Francisco Fire Department later issued a notice of violation citing lack of power, an insufficient alarm system, a nonfunctioning elevator and unpermitted open-flame cooking devices.

According to city officials, the owners allegedly gave tenants butane-powered camping stoves to cook and heat water. Inspectors also found extra stoves stored near the fire origin, deepening concerns about how the building was being managed while repairs lagged. In an August 2025 inspection, the city said tenants had been allowed back into the building even though utilities still had not been restored.

The city’s Human Services Agency and the American Red Cross helped relocate about 90 tenants, mostly immigrant families, while San Francisco Public Works provided interim power. The building was not fully vacated until Sept. 3, 2025, nearly three months after the fire. For city leaders, the long stretch between the blaze and the vacancy order underscored what they see as a breakdown in landlord compliance and city follow-up in one of San Francisco’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.

Tenderloin residents live with some of the city’s densest housing and sharpest pressures, which is part of what makes 155 Hyde Street such a potent test case. The lawsuit alleges public nuisance, violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law and violations of building and fire codes. If the city prevails, it could strengthen enforcement against owners who keep damaged properties occupied while repairs and inspections are unresolved.

Chiu said the city had supported the tenants and now wanted the property owner to do his part. Mayor Daniel Lurie said landlords should be partners in protecting residents and would be held accountable if they undermined public health and safety. The case now asks whether San Francisco’s renter protections can hold before the City Attorney steps in, or only after the conditions become impossible to ignore.