Embattled S.F. port Commissioner Mel Murphy resigns

Mel Murphy is seen at 125 Crown Terrace on Dec. 18, 2013. The home partially broke apart during a major remodeling and expansion effort. Mel Murphy is seen at 125 Crown Terrace on Dec. 18, 2013. The home partially broke apart during a major remodeling and expansion effort. Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Embattled S.F. port Commissioner Mel Murphy resigns 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Embattled San Francisco Port Commissioner Mel Murphy — who has been in the crosshairs of a city attorney’s building-permits investigation ever since a house he was remodeling took a slide down Twin Peaks — has resigned.

Murphy, who also served on the Building Inspection Commission from 2006 to 2012, was a big backer of Mayor Ed Lee. Lee appointed him to the Port Commission in 2013, despite critics’ questions about Murphy’s business practices.

Murphy, who is also a real estate developer, got into hot water in December 2013 when a house his company was renovating at 125 Crown Terrace on Twin Peaks partially collapsed onto a neighbor’s property.

Murphy blamed the incident on contractor fraud, but suspicion about the work being done arose when a check of City Hall records revealed that Murphy had tried — but failed — to obtain a permit to demolish the structure.

A subsequent investigation by City Attorney Dennis Herrera found alleged building violations in several of Murphy’s projects, leading Herrera to file suit against him.

After months of embarrassing revelations, Lee sent Murphy a one-sentence letter in April calling on him to “immediately resign” from his commission post.

Murphy responded with a note from his doctor and took a three-month medical leave of absence — effectively putting the brakes on any attempt to remove him.

On Friday, Murphy finally pulled the plug.

“It is unfortunate that people like Mel, who serve for years as voluntary commissioners, get treated this way by the city,” said Murphy’s attorney, Andrew Zacks. “He doesn’t deserve it.”

Lee’s office declined to comment on the resignation.

“These supposed unpermitted construction violations go back 20 to 30 years,” Zacks said. “If the city is going to hold what someone did 20 years ago against you, I think they are going to have a hard time finding people willing to serve.”

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