More than 50 residents of a luxury San Francisco apartment are suing the building’s owner after two massive leaks from the rooftop pool left them homeless.
At least 400 tenants have been evicted from 33 Tehama, a 35-story apartment complex, after two leaks dumped 20,000 gallons of water into the high-end rooms and hallways over the summer.
Plaintiffs are now seeking damages from Hines, the property’s management company, for alleged chronic mismanagement and deceit.
Rohan Mukherji, who was forced to evacuate with his wife Saba Mirza, claimed Hines deliberately misled residents about when they could return and what maintenance work would be done on the high-rise.
“It’s a mess of lies and a mess that they’ve made either because they’re incompetent and just don’t know how to handle these things, or they’re just trying to facilitate a scam,” Mukherji told ABC 7 .
More than 50 displaced residents of 33 Tehama, a 35-story luxury apartment complex, are suing the owner after two massive leaks over the summer
The first leak, on June 3, flooded the home with 200,000 gallons of water after a pipeline leaked on the high-end San Francisco complex’s rooftop pool
Entire floors were flooded inside the building, forcing residents to evacuate with little help or communication on what to do in the meantime
Residents claimed that the building’s owner, Hines, deliberately lied to them about the situation, accusing them of chronic mismanagement and fraud
According to the lawsuit, residents were startled by alarms on June 3 ordering them to evacuate after a pipe from the rooftop pool burst, causing water to gush throughout the building.
Residents, who paid between $1,400 and $6,000 a month in rent, claimed Hines didn’t give them enough information about where to find shelter in the meantime or how long maintenance would take.
The lawsuit says Hines had booked two downtown hotels on the night of the flood, but residents said the temporary stay lasted only two days, without saying a word about what to do next.
“They basically told us you can’t come back in and we don’t know when you can come back in,” Mirza told ABC 7.
Problems at 33 Tehama only escalated after a second leak from the same water main occurred on August 10, while some tenants in the building were trying to repossess their belongings.
After the floods, Hines said the building would not be habitable until 2023 and the company would stop all assistance to residents.
Plaintiffs said they were essentially “left out of the water, with many exhausting their credit cards and life savings just to survive while others were “on the brink of homelessness.”
In a statement accompanying the lawsuit, Hines said: Since the flooding in June, our staff have worked around the clock to assist displaced residents with emergency and permanent relocation options.
“We have provided our residents with temporary housing and funds for personal expenses. We also worked tirelessly to repair the building, hiring leading experts to identify and fix the building’s mechanical problems.
“We deny the allegations made in this complaint and believe that as the pre-trial investigation progresses, the court and the public will understand the true extent of our efforts to help those who have been forced to leave their homes during these unfortunate and unforeseen events.”
After the first leak in June, a second flood erupted on August 10 when residents were back inside trying to get their belongings from the first incident
Security footage from one of the resident’s rooms allegedly shows contractors ransacking their property and stealing belongings
Hines denies all allegations and said the apartment is uninhabitable until 2023
Finally, the complaint against Hine’s alleges that the company “not only was negligent in maintaining the building, but also knew there was a problem before the leak occurred in June 2022 and kept it hidden.”
Local residents allege that a city building inspector filed a violation report against Hines for attempting to repair the pipes without a permit before the leaks.
The company has denied the allegations, saying, “All work currently underway is subject to a permit issued by the city.”
The San Francisco Building Control Board did not immediately respond to ‘s request for comment.
As well as complaints against the company, local residents also shared their outrage at apparent mismanagement when video footage from one of their surveillance cameras allegedly showed contractors stealing from the damaged homes.
Stephanie Sunwoo, whose home was shown in the footage, said her checkbook was stolen, with two fraudulent checks cashed.
“So now I kind of have this impending fear of identity theft and my banking information is out there on the loose,” she told ABC 7 as she cried over her situation.
Attorney Nazy Fahimi, representing some of the plaintiffs, alleged that Hines continually misled local residents and failed to provide adequate answers
First opening in 2018, the 35-story apartment complex offers a luxurious experience through co-working spaces, a spa, game room, gym and optional butler service to do chores for residents.
“33 Tehama is marketed as the epitome of luxury, but is instead a renter’s worst nightmare,” the lawsuit reads.
Attorney Nazy Fahimi, representing some of the plaintiffs, slammed Hines for allegedly creating this nightmare and leaving residents with few answers and alternatives.
“There’s one consistent issue where they didn’t get any answers. Where they were essentially let down,” Fahimi told ABC.