San Francisco Builder Left Path of Complaints for Years

Nguyen’s planned changes veered from the area’s historical architectural rules, the association insisted.

The neighborhood association confronted him at the Planning Commission when he tried to get his altered building plans, which had made the house nearly 2 feet higher than approved, and to get an unpermitted garage addition approved.

At the 2007 hearing, Nguyen and his wife defended themselves and did not admit to any violations.

“Our house is smaller than our neighbors’,” Kim Nguyen told the Planning Commission. “I think they have a grudge against us.”

Pat Daly, a neighbor, told the commission that she did not oppose the Nguyens expanding their home, but she said she just wanted them to obey the law.

“He just has to follow the rules like the rest of us do,” Daly said.

The next year, Nguyen went ahead and began construction as an owner-builder, which allowed him to do the work without a contractor license.

Over the next several years, the city found Nguyen continued to violate numerous rules and regulations, city records show. He worked without permits, encroached on a neighbor’s property, built his home nearly 2 feet above what was approved and built a chimney far larger than allowed, according to Planning Department records.