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San Francisco Begins Crackdown On Illegal Warehouse Habitation Following Ghost Ship Fire

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- What many artists have feared is now happening, as San Francisco joins the list of communities across the country cracking down on illegal warehouses in the wake of the deadly Ghost Ship fire in Oakland.

The Department of Building Inspection is investigating 11 potentially illegal spaces in the coming days. One of them belongs to a punk rock band and group of bike mechanics and artists called Cyclecide.

Cyclecide lists 1660 Jerrold Avenue in the Bayview District as its permanent address. According to city records, the building has not been inspected since 1986, and it doesn't have plumbing or current permits for electricity. Neighbors have complained recently about people living there illegally.

"There's folks living there, they're artsy like your Oakland people," Chris Costello told KPIX. "They're nice people, respectful," he added.

Another neighbor, who chose to remain anonymous, said she visited the space for an art open-house. "There's a lot of stuff -- a lot of clutter inside -- like what happened in Oakland," she said.

Some of the complaints specifically mention fire hazards; others mention underground nightclubs.

Building inspectors say they will visit all 11 locations during the next few days looking for at-risk, life-safety situations. They say they sympathize with people who have nowhere to go but they can't risk a repeat of the Oakland tragedy.

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