The Eugene Burger Management Corporation, a scandal-ridden private firm that has overseen two of San Francisco’s public housing complexes since 2022, including one in Potrero Hill, may not have a long future in the city.
A representative from the company typically provides a update on the Potrero Hill and Sunnydale public housing sites before the San Francisco Housing Authority Board of Commissioners each month. But at today’s meeting, Housing Authority CEO Tonia Lediju gave a brief announcement that the agency would be issuing a request for proposal for property management at those locations.
Lediju provided little additional information. The expected update from Eugene Burger Management about the sites did not occur. Lediju reportedly told the Chronicle that “previous solicitations have not garnered much interest,” possibly implying that Eugene Burger may be the only qualified bidder.
“As it relates to Sunnydale and Potrero, we are going to be putting out our RFP, request for proposal, for property management,” Lediju said. “And we just wanted to advise you of that.”
The commissioners asked no questions.
In a follow-up statement, a Housing Authority spokesperson said “submissions will be evaluated in accordance with the RFP, which will be reflective of the needs and requirements of each property.”
Eugene Burger Management has been accused of neglecting its tenants as it oversees the Potrero Terrace, Potrero Annex, and Sunnydale-Velasco complexes during an extensive rebuild of the city’s public housing.
Mission Local has followed the troubles on Potrero Hill since a fire in January 2023 killed a 40-year-old man and displaced several others. Earlier this year, Mission Local reported that a middle manager was allegedly collecting under-the-table rent from squatters who had sought shelter in the many vacant apartments in Potrero Hill.
That investigation appears to be ongoing, but last month, Eugene Burger began evicting many of those squatters en masse.
“I hope it means the end of Eugene Burger working in San Francisco,” said District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton when asked about the announcement.
Timeline of events at the Potrero Terrace and Annex in Potrero Hill
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development orders the troubled San Francisco Housing Authority to submit to a takeover by the city and begin shedding its core
functions.
March 2019
June 2019
First new building at Potrero Hill opens with 72 units, part of HOPE SF rebuild of four San Francisco public housing complexes including 1,600 units in Potrero.
February 2022
Eugene Burger
Management
Corporation takes over Potrero Hill and Sunnydale sites, for up
to five years and $3.1M.
January 2023
A fire kills 40-year-old Richard Gescat and displaces other residents at the Potrero Annex, many of whom are squatters.
Mission Local reports on the conditions at Potrero Terrace-Annex and ongoing troubles between squatters and tenants.
February 2023
May 2023
Mission Local reports on Eugene Burger Management’s failing scorecards from January and February 2023.
July 2023
Board of Supervisors holds hearing on Eugene Burger for poorly managing its sites.
Mission Local reports on alleged rent scam by Eugene Burger’s Lance Whittenberg, who purportedly collected under-the-table rent from as many as 20 squatters.
April 2024
Board of Supervisors holds hearing on Eugene Burger for poor management, alleged rent scam.
May 2024
Mission Local reports on mass evictions of residents at Potrero Hill, including some who claim they paid Whittenberg rent.
August 2024
September 2024
Tenant attorneys call for Eugene Burger’s firing; developer BRIDGE Housing asks for go-ahead to speed up demolitions.
Supervisor Shamann Walton calls for Eugene Burger’s firing, and another hearing into mass evictions and alleged rent scam.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development orders the troubled San Francisco Housing Authority to submit to a takeover by the city and begin shedding its core
functions.
March 2019
June 2019
First new building at Potrero Hill opens with 72 units, part of HOPE SF rebuild of four San Francisco public housing complexes including 1,600 units in Potrero.
Eugene Burger
Management
Corporation takes over Potrero Hill and Sunnydale sites, for up
to five years and $3.1M.
February 2022
January 2023
A fire kills 40-year-old Richard Gescat and displaces other residents at the Potrero Annex, many of whom are squatters.
Mission Local reports on the conditions at Potrero
Terrace-Annex and ongoing troubles between squatters and tenants.
February 2023
May 2023
Mission Local reports on Eugene Burger Management’s failing scorecards from January and February 2023.
July 2023
Board of Supervisors holds hearing on Eugene Burger for poorly managing its sites.
Mission Local reports on alleged rent scam by Eugene Burger’s Lance Whittenberg, who purportedly collected under-the-table rent from as many as 20
squatters.
April 2024
May 2024
Board of Supervisors holds hearing on Eugene Burger for poor management, alleged rent scam.
August 2024
Mission Local reports on mass evictions of residents at Potrero Hill, including some who claim they paid Whittenberg rent.
Tenant attorneys call for Eugene Burger’s firing;
developer BRIDGE Housing asks for go-ahead to speed up demolitions.
September 2024
Supervisor Shamann Walton calls for Eugene Burger’s firing, and another hearing into mass evictions and alleged rent scam.
Chart by Kelly Waldron.
Walton last week called for the firing of Eugene Burger Management, and demanded another hearing into the company and the Housing Authority, which he said was “derelict in its duties” overseeing the firm’s performance. He already called two prior hearings in response to Mission Local reports of the rent scam and poor conditions.
Eugene Burger has repeatedly failed on numerous metrics in its city performance reviews since January 2023, according to documents obtained by Mission Local in public records requests. The firm has failed complete work orders, collect rent, and address notices from the Department of Building Inspection.
The company’s contract was set to expire at the end of January 2025, but the contract allows for extensions.
Lediju said the call for a new management firm would go out in October. Lediju and the Housing Authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Here’s a suggestion: How’s about the San Francisco Housing Authority manage their properties themselves instead of shirking their responsibilities and subbing it out?
Ok this guy and company might not have been the best but in regards to the January fire that ppl say killed Richard gescat. He was beaten very badly and then someone lit the place on fire to try and cover it up. Read the story. 3 ppl self rescued but left him inside and did not tell fire crew he was in there.
I worked for EBMC in the early 2000 and this type of conduct would never have been in play. On the flip side I live in a property currently managed by JSCo. If any management company needs the boot is them.
Let’s give Eugene Burger Management another chance. And another. And another. And another…
I don’t know what happened to SFHA, they use to be the best HA in the Bay area. Today things are bad. Section 8 tenants not protected, these property mgmt companies get away with everything, HA don’t do nothing! SF is not the same period, Im shame to say Im born & raised here! It’s definitely NOT for African Americans, they tore every memory we had down, it just for them now! They Not Like Us!
SF corruption only gets slightly dealt with after it’s widely covered.
Who was in charge this whole time? Who ran this city since 2018?
Fire them too.