524 Vallejo
Street

Original Building Permit Issued

Building permit #6321 issued December 3, 1906 — just months after the San Francisco earthquake. The property is established as a residential structure on Block 0132, Lot 009 in the North Beach neighborhood.

Construction Completed — Two-Unit Building

The building is completed as a two-unit residential property, consistent with early City records. At some undocumented later date, additional dwelling spaces are created informally without permits, resulting in up to four occupied spaces — though only two are legally recognized units.

Developer Acquisition

Developer Peter Iskandar (SP Twin Boys Corporation / Master Builders) purchases the property on October 12, 2010 for $853,125. At the time of acquisition, 3 of the 4 informal dwelling spaces are occupied. Existing tenants are vacated through buyout agreements of approximately $35,000 per unit. All tenant matters are fully resolved by 2013 — eight years before the current owners' purchase. No tenants have occupied any of the informal units since 2010.

Major Renovation Permit Filed

Permit 201102049686 is filed February 4, 2011 for a comprehensive renovation including exterior alterations, vertical addition, and interior remodel. The permit undergoes a multi-year review by DBI and the Zoning Division.

DBI Affirms Building as "Legally a 2 Unit Building"

On April 19, 2012, permit 201204198732 is filed and issued the same day. Its description reads: "FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSE ONLY TO CLARIFY RECORDS & TO RE-AFFIRM THAT THE BUILDING LOCATED AT BLCK #0132 & LOT #009 IS LEGALLY A 2 UNIT BUILDING ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED UNDER BUILDING PA# 6321 ISSUED 12/3/1906 BASED ON RECORDS PROVIDED BY RECORD MANAGEMENT DIVISION OF DBI." This permit is revoked August 8, 2012 per DBI's letter.

Also in November 2012, the Zoning Division (CP-ZOC) approves the renovation permit with the notation: "approved exterior alterations including in-kind window replacement, new wood clapboard siding, vertical addition, and interior remodel with no change of unit count."

Four-Unit Configuration Approved on Paper

Permit 201102049686 is formally issued January 29, 2013, approving plans for a four-unit configuration — two additional units legalized on paper. This approval exists in the permit record. Based on physical and structural evidence, the as-built condition diverged from these approved plans during the developer's renovation — most likely around this period, before DBI's 2016 sign-off. Whether a four-unit building was ever constructed is the central question in current proceedings. Importantly, no tenants occupied the additional informal units during or after this period.

Renovation Completed — Certificate of Final Completion Issued

Construction proceeds across 21 documented field inspections. On May 9, 2016, DBI Inspector Sean Birmingham issues the Certificate of Final Completion (CFC). The as-built condition documented at completion includes: one continuous residential layout, one kitchen (third floor), a unified internal elevator, glass-railed open staircase, and no physical separation into four separate dwelling units.

Developer Lists Property as Single-Family Home

Beginning June 2016 — days after the CFC — developer Peter Iskandar lists the property for sale at $6,500,000 (MLS #447339) and separately for rent at $35,000/month as a single-family residence. A realtor.com listing from July 2016 explicitly classifies the property type as "Single Family." The property is listed and marketed three separate times in 2016–2017, always as a single home.

Final DBI Inspection — No Discrepancy Flagged

On May 5, 2017, DBI Inspector Sean Birmingham conducts a final inspection on Permit 201401277110 — nearly one year after the property had been publicly marketed as a single-family home. No violation or discrepancy is noted. The property is then sold in an arm's-length transaction to Roumana LLC, which purchases and occupies it as a single-family residence.

Continuous Single-Family Occupancy

The property is continuously occupied and used as a single-family home. No construction, subdivision, or reconfiguration into multiple units occurs. No enforcement actions are initiated. The property is listed and sold again in 2020–2021.

Current Owners Purchase Property

Katelin Holloway and Ben Ramirez purchase the property on April 12, 2021 for $4,858,490 (MLS #508471). The MLS listing, while classified as "Residential Income / Quadruplex" due to the 2013 paper designation, markets the home as "presently arranged as an expansive single-family home." All four listed "units" show 0 bedrooms, 0 bathrooms, 0 square footage, and $0 rent. The physical condition at purchase is identical to the 2016 as-built certification.

Anonymous Complaint Filed — Closed as "Abated"

On March 3, 2022, complaint 202288219 is filed as a DCP Referral alleging "work beyond scope of approved permit." DBI Inspector Duffy investigates, reviews the approved plans and permit file, and closes the case on April 27, 2022 as: "ABATED — As per approved plans." No interior inspection of the property was conducted. Owners simultaneously learn of the discrepancy between the 2013 approved plans and the as-built condition.

Good-Faith Investigation & CUA Application

Owners retain legal, architectural, and expediting professionals. An architectural study determines that reinstating four separate units is physically infeasible, incompatible with the structure as built, and would require major demolition of load-bearing elements. In 2024, a Conditional Use Authorization (CUA) application is submitted — Case 2024-011561CUA — proposing to legalize the two-unit configuration and add a new 440 sq. ft. rent-controlled studio apartment.

Planning Commission Hearing — Procedural Denial

The San Francisco Planning Commission holds a duly noticed public hearing on December 4, 2025. After extensive evidence is presented regarding the as-built condition, architectural feasibility, and public benefit, the vote results in a 3–3 tie — constituting a procedural denial, not a merits-based determination.

Board of Supervisors Appeal & New DBI Complaint

Owners appeal the Planning Commission denial to the Board of Supervisors (Files #260021 & #260022), with a hearing scheduled for April 7, 2026. On March 4, 2026, a new DBI complaint (202652191) is filed — this time alleging "unlawful removal of three dwelling units." On March 11, 2026, DBI conducts the first interior inspection of the property since the owners' 2021 purchase. Proceedings are ongoing.