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San Francisco Building Inspector Faces Misdemeanor Charges After Granting Home Permit

Former SF Department of Building Inspection Inspector Charged with Conflict-of-Interest Violations

San Francisco Inspector Allegedly Signed Permits for His Own Home and Family Members

San Francisco Building Inspector Facing Jail Time for Alleged Self-Serving Behavior

Brand-New SF Inspector Facing Permit Abuse Allegations

SF Building Inspector Facing Misdemeanor Charges for Granting Permits to Self and Family Members

San Francisco Inspector Facing Jail Time After Allegedly Granting Home Permit

Revised Article

The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) is no stranger to scandals, and the latest involves a recently terminated inspector, Van Zeng. He faces misdemeanor charges for granting building permits to his own home, and to buildings owned by his family members.

The S.F. Standard reported that Inspector Zeng is believed to have signed off on property inspections for his own home in March 2020. Over the course of two years he conducted or signed off on another 19 inspections, three of which were owned by his mother and other investors, and two permits requested by his father.

In response to the latest allegations of corruption, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins issued a statement. “San Franciscans should expect our public employees to act with integrity and not engage in self-serving behavior,” Jenkins said. “My office is committed to rooting out employees who violate ethics laws and hold them accountable.”

Inspector Zeng had been placed on leave as of October and was officially fired by the department on December 8. He has since plead not guilty to the charges of conflict-of-interest in a government decision. The accused inspector’s attorney Randall Knox claims the allegations are misguided. Knox contends that the permit granted to his home was simply to halt work in light of COVID-19, and that Zeng was unaware of his father’s connection to other permits he had signed off on.

The accused’s next court hearing is set for February 23, 2024 and if found guilty, Zeng could face time behind bars.

This represents just the latest scandal in the public department, and another instance of former employees using their power for personal gain. As District Attorney Brooke Jenkins vowed, San Francisco will not tolerate officials who violate ethics laws, and any individual found to be doing so will face the full extent of justice.