While soft-on-crime San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins has made it clear that it's open season for criminals, one thing the city won't tolerate is unpermitted changes to signage from political opponents.
After Elon Musk installed a giant "X" logo on top of his rebranded company's downtown headquarters (which Musk says he has no intention of moving despite the city's 'doom spiral') - city officials launched an investigation following two active complaints at 1355 Market Street, one of them being for an unpermitted structure on the roof.
Our HQ in San Francisco tonight pic.twitter.com/VQO2NoX9Tz
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2023
The complaints were both filed on July 28, and the Department of Building Inspection subsequently issued a notice of violation (NOV) for each complaint.
According to the complaint against the "X" sign, a city building inspector was unable to gain access to the building on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, representatives for X told the city that the sign is "a temporary lighted sign for an event," to which the inspector told the company that the NOV "requires the structure to be remove [sic] with a building permit or legalize."
On Saturday, the same city inspector tried to enter again, but "upon arrival access was denied again by tenant."
A spokesperson for the city's Department of Building Inspection, Patrick Hannan, told the San Francisco Standard on Friday that an investigation was underway.
"A building permit is required to make sure the sign is structurally sound and installed safely," said Hannan, adding "Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation."
Musk, who bought Twitter for $44 billion last October, renamed Twitter to "X" earlier this month, explaining the rebranding as a step towards turning the social media platform into an "everything app."
His new (WEF) CEO Linda Yaccarino, explained further last week:
"X is the future state of unlimited interactivity—centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking—creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities," she wrote on X. "There’s absolutely no limit to this transformation. X will be the platform that can deliver, well….everything."
Musk, meanwhile, wrote on July 29th that he has no plans to move out of San Francisco.
"Many have offered rich incentives for X (fka Twitter) to move its HQ out of San Francisco. Moreover, the city is in a doom spiral with one company after another left or leaving. Therefore, they expect X will move too," he wrote, adding "We will not."
"You only know who your real friends are when the chips are down. San Francisco, beautiful San Francisco, though others forsake you, we will always be your friend."
Many have offered rich incentives for X (fka Twitter) to move its HQ out of San Francisco.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2023
Moreover, the city is in a doom spiral with one company after another left or leaving.
Therefore, they expect X will move too.
We will not.
You only know who your real friends are when…
Meanwhile, Musk wants us to know he loves Canada.
I ♥️ Canada pic.twitter.com/95321VIi8r
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 31, 2023