San Francisco city officials are suing the owners of multiple warehouses in the city’s Bayview which allegedly housed illegal cannabis growing operations.

City Attorney David Chiu announced Monday that a lawsuit has been filed against Alexandra and Joseph Yick, who owns warehouses on 29 Patterson Street and 30 Loomis Street. A second lawsuit was filed against Andrew Govan-Smith, who owns warehouses at 1742 Yosemite Street and 1723-1727 Wallace Avenue.

The lawsuits allege the property owners leased their warehouses to illegal cannabis operators, violating state and local laws, along with undermining the legal cannabis industry.

“Not only did these property owners harm legitimate cannabis businesses, but they have also endangered the health, welfare, and safety of the neighboring residents,” Chiu said in a statement. “The defendants knowingly assisted their tenants in breaking the law to make a profit, and these illegal grow houses were full of dangerous code violations.”

The lawsuit against the Yicks alleges the pair had owned the warehouses since 2021. Last year, the Department of Cannabis Control investigated the properties and found 2,095 mature cannabis plants, 4,300 immature cannabis plants, nearly 90 pounds of cannabis flower and more than 470 pounds of cannabis shake.

Inspections by city officials also found multiple code violations, including exposed electrical wiring and the unpermitted use of carbon dioxide tanks.

Meanwhile, the lawsuit against Govan-Smith follows an inspection by firefighters, the city’s Office of Cannabis (OOC) and the Department of Building Inspection of the Wallace Avenue warehouse in 2023 and an inspection by police and the OCC of the Yosemite Street warehouse last year.

The lawsuit alleges there were a total of eight grow rooms, two nursery rooms, four dry rooms and other cannabis cultivation equipment at his properties. Officials said they also found several fire, building, planning, plumbing, and electrical code violations, including exposed wiring and uncertified fire extinguishers, along with unpermitted plumbing and electrical work.

“San Francisco’s regulated cannabis economy provides safe products, creates hundreds of jobs and generates about $40 million in taxable sales per quarter,” said Nikesh Patel, who directs the city’s Office of Cannabis. “Unlawful cannabis businesses not only jeopardize public health and safety, but also unfairly undercut regulated cannabis businesses that are working hard to keep their doors open.”

Chiu’s lawsuits follows a lawsuit filed last year against the owners of two other Bayview warehouses, also for allegedly leasing their properties for illegal cannabis grows.

• Marijuana
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• San Francisco