San Francisco legal authorities have filed a lawsuit seeking to cancel eight disputed deeds tied to a $4.4 million house in the exclusive Sea Cliff neighbourhood, after officials described the case as an elaborate attempt to take control of the property. San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed the case in state court, seeking to clear the city's property records and restore the title to its rightful owner. The legal action follows more than a year of disputed quitclaim deeds, questionable ownership transfers and claims by people who allegedly had no legal right to the house. The property sits in one of San Francisco's wealthiest neighbourhoods, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The dispute grew after neighbours reported that people had entered the vacant house, changed its locks and used disputed documents to claim ownership. According to court filings detailed by The San Francisco Standard, the trouble began after the long-term registered owner, who lives abroad, left the property empty. People then allegedly took advantage of the vacant house by filing a series of documents that created a false trail of ownership in public records. Eight disputed deeds were recorded in connection with the property over slightly more than a year. The city alleges that the documents included false signatures, fake entities and fraudulent notarisation.
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