The Archdiocese of San Francisco Parish and School Juridic Persons Real Property Support Corporation has filed a lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco, alleging significant property damage due to municipal negligence. The complaint was filed on March 18, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, targeting the city as the primary defendant.
The case revolves around a catastrophic failure of a water main at the intersection of Gough Street and Ellis Street in San Francisco. On March 27, 2023, this infrastructure failure led to extensive flooding that damaged Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep High School and the De La Salle Christian Brothers Residence, both owned by the plaintiff. The Archdiocese claims that the city failed in its duty to maintain its water distribution system properly. According to court documents, "Defendants planned, designed, constructed, owned, controlled, serviced, used, managed, operated, and maintained" this system which is alleged to have been inadequately managed leading to its eventual failure.
In their complaint for damages based on inverse condemnation and dangerous condition of public property under Government Code 835 as well as trespass allegations against all defendants including unnamed parties referred to as DOES 1 through 20—the Archdiocese asserts that these failures constitute a taking of private property without just compensation. They argue that this is in violation of Article I Section 19 of the California Constitution. Furthermore, they accuse the city of being aware or should have been aware of these dangerous conditions but failed to take corrective actions. "Defendants had actual or constructive notice... although Defendants knew or should have known," states one part of their filing.
The plaintiffs are seeking multiple forms of relief from the court: compensation for damages according to proof presented during trial; recovery of attorney’s fees and expenses; costs incurred due to litigation; prejudgment interest at maximum legal rates; along with any other relief deemed appropriate by judicial authorities overseeing proceedings.
Representing RPSC is attorney John P. Christian from his law office located in Oakland CA while specific legal representatives for defendants remain unspecified within available documentation thus far. This matter falls under Case No CGC-25-623430 before judges presiding over matters within jurisdictional boundaries encompassing both City & County entities involved herein alongside associated infrastructures implicated throughout proceedings initiated via aforementioned complaint filings dated mid-March earlier this year.