Mel Murphy Out

Mel Murphy resigned as San Francisco Port Commissioner amidst allegations of illegal real estate conversions.

Murphy, who had been appointed by Mayor Ed Lee, is also a real estate developer who faced new accusations from the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office in late July about planning code violations and failure to disclose information.

The new allegations involve Murphy’s property at 1025 Hampshire Street and are similar to another project that City Attorney Dennis Herrera says Murphy developed and illegally converted.

“I’ll say this for Mel Murphy: he’s consistent,” Herrera said. “Murphy’s illegal conversion schemes demonstrate a pattern that is well-devised, carefully-executed and, above all, willful. He flouts laws for ill-gotten profits; he deceives city agencies at every possible turn; and he goes the extra mile to conceal his wrongdoing even years later as a city official. … As a city official, Commissioner Murphy’s conduct is a betrayal of public trust … that I’m sure many San Franciscans find discouraging.”