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Scofflaw Contractor Flagged by San Francisco Officials

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Scofflaw Contractor Flagged by San Francisco Officials


For only the second time, San Francisco has flagged a contractor for repeatedly violating building codes meant to preserve safe conditions for residents and neighbors, according to records. 

Until Dec. 26, 2023, there was only one name on the city’s list of repeat offenders—Rodrigo Santos, a permit expediter and structural engineer who pleaded guilty to federal charges in January 2023 in relation to a scheme he was involved in that helped his clients receive lenient inspections on their projects. 

Tad Van Nguyen is the newest name on the Department of Building Inspection’s expanded compliance list due to four serious violations within a year. Those violations occurred on four projects his construction company worked on in 2022 and 2023. 

“The addition of Mr. Nguyen demonstrates that we are applying the Expanded Compliance control criteria as set forth in the building code, and we believe the extra level of scrutiny applied to these individuals is helpful in maintaining a safe built environment,” Department of Building Inspection spokesman Patrick Hannan said.

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In 2021, San Francisco passed legislation to track and flag significant violations by developers, contractors and engineers who repeatedly break city permitting rules.

The law, which directs the city building inspection department to notify state regulators of violations and tasks senior inspectors to review complaints, was a reaction to a corruption scandal that involved the scheme by Santos, who had his clients donate to specific entities in exchange for favorable inspections by a city inspector. 

Santos pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion charges in three separate cases stemming from the checks he misappropriated and the donations he asked his clients to make to a youth sports charity favored by Bernie Curran, who was at the time a senior building inspector.

Curran was one of three inspectors allegedly bribed by prominent San Francisco developer Sia Tahbazof, who was charged by federal authorities in November.

A man walks with two woman on the street.
Rodrigo Santos walks out of court after his sentencing in San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2023. | Source: Jeremy Chen/ The Standard

Building inspection spokesperson Hannan said that the fact that only two names have appeared on the list is a testament to the vast number of building projects in the city are aboveboard.

But even without citing other troubling issues with city inspections, such as a recently fired and charged department inspector who reviewed construction on his own home, Nguyen’s case may indicate the system is not catching all construction scofflaws the way it is supposed to.

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Nguyen’s track record is littered with incomplete construction projects, unsafe working conditions and numerous lawsuits, according to court records and former colleagues.

For his part, Nguyen denied that he had done work without permits.

“I don’t know why they put me on the list,” he said. “We filed a permit and got everything approved. This is nonsense stuff.” 

Nguyen did not respond to questions about a number of other issues his company has been involved with in the past. 

The recent projects that Nguyen was flagged for are related to work his company did at four addresses in 2022 and 2023. 

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At 1237 Shafter Ave. in Hunters Point, his company did demolition beyond the scope of the approved plans in 2022, according to city inspection department records. Next door at 1239 Shafter, his company also did soil excavation beyond the allowed permits, which resulted in undermining the neighbor’s footing. 

The two properties are owned by Amanda Reid, who did not respond to a request for comment. But early last year, Nguyen filed a mechanic lien on Reid’s property for failure to pay his company for the work it did, according to court documents. 

A house faces the street and construction debris lies on the sidewalk.A house faces the street and construction debris lies on the sidewalk.
Tad Van Nguyễn did illegal work at 1237 Shafter Ave. in Hunters Point. | Source: Google Maps screenshot

Another nearby project flagged in 2022 was 1600 Thomas Ave., where Nguyen demolished a deck and stairway and rebuilt another one far beyond the allowed permitting. He also built a new and higher fence along a public right of way that exceeded the permitted project. 

Thomas and Anna Jordan, who own the 1600 Thomas Ave. property, could not be reached for comment. 

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Nguyen in 2022 at 1600 Thomas Ave. for health and safety violations related to unsafe scaffolding, failure to provide protection for overheating and Covid prevention, among other violations. 

He was fined more than $14,000 for 11 violations, all of which he has contested. 

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At 352 Head St. in Ingleside Heights, Nguyen completed internal walling without inspection or permitting in 2023, city records state. 

The LLC that owns the property has a registered address that is the same as Nguyen’s San Francisco home address. 

A home on a street.A home on a street.
Nguyen completed internal walling without inspection or permitting at 350 Head St. | Source: Google Maps screenshot

The recent violations are only the latest controversies Nguyen has faced as a contractor in San Francisco. 

In 2014, the Department of Industrial Relations sued him for nearly $12,000 in fines related to unsafe ladders and scaffolding on a Geary Boulevard project.

That same year, the state’s Contractors State License Board also cited Nguyen for work done at his 1440 Clement St. property without workers compensation insurance, according to court documents. Nguyen was fined $3,500, and his license was briefly suspended for the violation. 

Numerous complaints arose from the work being done on the property, some of which were also without permits, according to city records. 

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Chris Tuong, who is also in litigation with Nguyen, said in 2009 the contractor did work at 127 Milton St. that was substandard and did not meet engineering rules. According to city records, the work was being done without a permit, and a stop order was issued. 

Tuong said that when the engineer, Stephen Chan, refused to sign off on the work, Nguyen threatened him. 

“Tad took off his jacket and [got] in position to attack Steve,” Tuong said. “I was there because I’m thinking to protect Stephen, because Tad is too violent.”

Nguyen never completed the work, Tuong said. He had to hire another contractor. 

More recently, Nguyen sued Chan for not doing engineering work on one of the projects Nguyen was cited for: 352 Head St. 

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“I didn’t do any work for him,” Chan said, adding that Nguyen was trying to get him to do engineering work for free.

According to court records, Nguyen lost the lawsuit.



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San Francisco could vote again on whether to allow cars on the Great Highway

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San Francisco could vote again on whether to allow cars on the Great Highway


In San Francisco’s Sunset District, controversy continues over what to do with the Great Highway.

Friday, the newly-appointed supervisor for that district, Alan Wong, confirmed he is running to keep his job. He also shared that he would support a ballot measure that would bring cars back to the now-closed stretch of road. Some residents in the district already said they would be prepared to fight back against that ballot measure if it came to fruition.

This has been a politically tumultuous year for the Sunset District. In November of 2024, San Francisco voters narrowly approved Proposition K, which moved to close the highway along Ocean Beach to cars and to transform it into a park. In March of 2025, the stretch of road was permanently closed to cars, and in April, the area was officially reopened as Sunset Dunes Park. In September, voters recalled then-Supervisor Joel Engardio, with many in the campaign against Engardio expressing frustration with his support for turning the Great Highway into a park. In November, Mayor Daniel Lurie appointed Isabella “Beya” Alcaraz as the new supervisor for District 4, only to have her resign a week later amid growing questions about her actions as a small business owner.

At the start of December, Mayor Lurie swore in Alan Wong as his new appointee to serve as supervisor in District 4. Wong grew up in the Sunset, attended Lincoln High School, and has served as both an elected member of the San Francisco City College Board of Trustees and as a legislative aid to former supervisor Gordon Mar.

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In an interview with NBC Bay Area on Friday, Wong shared that he has not hidden the fact that he voted no on Prop. K in the 2024 election. However, in his first three weeks in office, Wong said he set out to “have conversations with different constituent groups and listen to them” about the issues.

“After three weeks of listening and having these conversations, I believe that my values and how I voted before align with the majority of the district,” Wong said.

San Francisco Supervisor Alan Wong supports a ballot measure that calls for cars to return to the Great Highway.

“And as the district supervisor, I need to take a leadership role in representing the district that I am here to serve,” he continued.

Wong said he is now prepared to be one of the four supervisors supporting a ballot initiative to reopen the Great Highway to cars on weekdays.

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Molly Rose, with Sunset Parent Advocates, worries that when Wong was listening to community voices over the past three weeks, some voices may have been left out.

“If he talked to the Sunset residents, he didn’t talk to me, and he didn’t talk to us– the family groups I am a part of,” Rose said.

“We are all very pro-park, we use it very heavily as a park,” she continued.

Rose said there are several hundred parents involved with her group. As a parent, Rose said her children love going to the park there.

“Sunset Dunes is the place where I take my kids to have a safe place to play,” she said.

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Rose said that she has been asking for Wong to meet with her group, but has been waiting to hear back from his scheduling team.

Wong’s office confirmed that Rose is in touch with their office and that Wong’s scheduler is “actively coordinating a time” for them to meet.

“While I do think there is a very loud, anti-park contingent of people in the Sunset, I don’t think they’re the majority,” Rose emphasized.



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San Francisco, CA

New SF supervisor supports reopening Great Highway on weekdays

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New SF supervisor supports reopening Great Highway on weekdays


SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Alan Wong, the new supervisor for District four in San Francisco, has publicly expressed his support for reopening the Great Highway to vehicles on weekdays. This statement comes amid ongoing debates surrounding the highway’s conversion into a park last spring, which was met with mixed reactions from the community.

The Great Highway was transformed into a public park earlier this year, a change that many residents have embraced, while some local neighbors have pushed back. Joel Engardio, the former supervisor who supported this conversion through Measure K, was recalled this year, highlighting the division among constituents in District four.

Wong, who was appointed as supervisor following Engardio’s recall, filed paperwork to run for the elected position on the board. His term is set to last until January 2027, during which he aims to solidify his platform around reopening the Great Highway.

In his statement, Wong emphasized, “I believe my values align with a majority of Sunset residents who support reopening the Great Highway to cars on weekdays. As a result, I am prepared to be one of four supervisors needed to sponsor a ballot initiative to restore that compromise.” This suggests Wong’s intent to address community concerns head-on while building a wider consensus.

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Prior to its conversion, the Great Highway allowed vehicles during the week and served as a park on weekends, a compromise Wong supports restoring. He aims to return to this model in response to feedback from local constituents.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published.



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San Francisco, CA

Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco

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Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco


Pro volleyball will soon be coming to San Francisco and this latest team is part of a surge of women’s sports.

League One Volleyball officially launched this year with six teams. Now the league has announced it’s expanding to nine teams, and that one of those expansion teams will be based in the city by the bay.

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Three-time Olympic volleyball medalist Kelsy Robinson Cook is on the ownership team for LOVB San Francisco, bringing professional volleyball to the city. “Can tell you it’s going to be amazing,” said Robinson Cook. “Then, when you bring in the fandom of the Bay Area and SF I think personally it’s going to make for an incredible atmosphere.”

Team ownership said starting a team in the Bay Area is a natural with colleges and universities in the region turning out top talent. “It’s the number one sport for women and girls and I think that just speaks volumes as to where we’re headed, not only in club and college, but professionally,” said Robinson Cook.

Pro women’s volleyball is part of a growing list of professional women’s sports teams calling San Francisco and the Bay Area home.

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The women’s professional baseball league announced plans for a team in San Francisco. Bay FC and the Golden State Valkyries are already proving there is a market for professional women’s sports.

When pro-volleyball was looking to expand, San Francisco was a natural choice. “You’re seeing Bay FC, the Valkyries, the success that they have, and this market loves sports, and they’ve also proven they love women’s sports,” said Robinson Cook.

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San Francisco leaders said the city has already proven that it supports pro-women’s teams, and will welcome professional volleyball. Mayor Daniel Lurie pointed to the city’s rich sports history and enthusiasm to support the home teams. “Now, as we saw with the Valkyries selling out every single home game last year, there is an appetite, there is a fan base, and this new league understands that,” said Mayor Lurie.

At this time, there are still a lot of questions up in the air, including exactly where LOVB San Francisco will play. Organizers say they have a lot of plans in the works to get the team ready to bump, set and spike starting in January 2027.

 

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