A group of over 50 tenants of 33 Tehama Street, San Francisco joined together to file a mass tort lawsuit against Hines Interests Limited Partnerships in San Francisco Superior Court over the corporate giant’s causing and mishandling of two mass water leaks which began in June of this year.
The suit alleges Hines violated various laws in failing to properly maintain the property and timely repair the leaks and resulting flooding. Tenants allege Hines acted in bad faith by failing to provide promised relocation and other expenses, failing to ensure safety in securing units and tenants’ property during the repairs, and by causing stress and discomfort to residents who were displaced by the massive leaks which rendered the building uninhabitable. Some tenants who filed suit had personal belongings stolen by contractors who were supposedly repairing the damage caused by the leaks and have been victims of identity theft due to Hines’s negligence. Tenants still do not know if, and when, they can move back, and many no longer trust Hines even if they are permitted to return.
The Complaint alleges that prior to the massive leak in June, and the subsequent August leak, city records show that several complaints, including about leaks in the building, were made years prior. Nazy Fahimi of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP stated: “Your home is a sanctuary. But the tenants of 33 Tehama were robbed of that safety and comfort. Hines not only acted negligently in maintaining the building, but also knew that there was a problem before the June 2022 leak occurred, and kept it hidden.”
