A Tenderloin landlord is accused by the city and county of San Francisco of leaving his tenants without heat, hot water, garbage pickup and mired in dilapidated and rodent-infested living conditions.

Charles Kartchner, the owner of a two-story, 10-unit residential building at 646 Ellis St., was accused in the civil complaint filed by City Attorney David Chiu on Monday of failing to correct numerous building code, health and safety violations at the property.

Kartchner bought the building in March 2024 and soon racked up five separate Notices of Violation, known as NOVs, by building inspectors who flagged numerous issues and ordered him each time to appear before a hearing with the Department of Building Inspection, according to the civil complaint.

Kartchner failed to show up for any of the hearings, according to documentation from the Department of Building Inspection.

In the meantime, he allegedly continued collecting rent, even as violations continued to be recorded, ranging from peeling paint and the presence of rats, to lack of essential services, according to Chiu’s office.

“We gave this owner ample opportunity to address these issues to no avail,” Chiu said in a statement. “We have no choice but to file this lawsuit to bring accountability, protect the tenants living at the property, and cure the many health and safety violations.”

The suit seeks a declaration that the building creates a public nuisance that endangers its occupants and the public based on the alleged violations of multiple state housing laws and municipal code violations. The city is seeking the building’s transfer to a receiver and an injunction to compel the needed repairs and corrections, along with fines of at least $224,000, according to the complaint.

Months of trash, lack of maintenance

The first violation was issued after a complaint was substantiated by the Department of Building Inspection in August 2024, alleging that garbage had not been picked up in four months, the front door lock was broken, and there was no hot water in the building.

Subsequent inspections in August, September, October and November all revealed additional and unaddressed problems, including mold, water intrusion, damaged walls, a gas leak, poor bathroom conditions in every unit, structural problems, sewage issues, broken floors, and chipped paint, among other deficiencies.

Victor Ly, a resident at the building, said in a statement provided by Chiu’s office that residents had suffered for too long under Kartchner’s neglect.

“We have no choice but to file this lawsuit to bring accountability, protect the tenants living at the property, and cure the many health and safety violations.” San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu

“Finally, after more than a year living in unsanitary and unlivable conditions, the City Attorney got involved to action against a bad landlord that could care less about the tenants,” Ly’s statement said.

Department of Building Inspection Director Patrick O’Riordan said the department receives hundreds of similar complaints per year, but Kartchner’s case stood out for the numerous violations he racked up.

Gloria del Mar Lemus, a program manager at the nonprofit Tenderloin Housing Clinic, a tenants’ rights organization, said the enforcement of tenants’ rights was essential to make sure all San Franciscans have the high-quality of life they deserve.

“Tenants are already paying a high price to live in the city,” she said. “Landlords cannot continue to violate housing codes by allowing their tenants to live without hot water or in properties with pest infestations or collapsing ceilings. The role of the City Attorney is essential when the violations get out of hand.”