August 11, 2025
Dear Customers,
We have some great news to share! Starting today, longtime San Francisco structural engineer David Kane has joined DBI as our new Deputy Director for Permit Services responsible for plan check, permit services, compliance programs, and code updates.
Many of you may know David as an expert in seismic retrofitting buildings for earthquake safety. For the past twenty years, he has put that knowledge into practice on hundreds of San Francisco apartment buildings and retrofit projects across the City.
David has consulted with the California State Board of Engineers to help develop the California Civil Seismic Principles Exam, one of the required tests to obtain a Professional Engineer (PE) license for Civil Engineering in our state. He also chaired the Professional Practice Committee for the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California.
We believe David’s expertise in seismic design, his background in private practice, his knowledge of San Francisco’s building codes, and his experience as a permit applicant will provide valuable insight into our ongoing efforts to improve our processes and service.
We also want to share this video Mayor Lurie filmed in the Permit Center last month talking about the many permitting process improvements that have been implemented during his first six months in office.
Thank you for your support and partnership. Stay safe.