For nearly a year, residents in a Tenderloin apartment building have been forced to live with rat infestations, sewage leaks and a lack of heat and hot water, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by City Attorney David Chiu.
In the lawsuit, Chiu alleges that property owner Charles Kartchner created unsafe living conditions and endangered the health and safety of the tenants in a 10-unit building at 646 Ellis St., which he bought in March 2024 for $1.15 million.
“This property owner took rent from each tenant, then turned around and refused to provide the most basic necessities like hot water and heating,” said Chiu. “Every tenant deserves a safe and clean place to live. It is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure their property doesn’t deteriorate.”…