www.SFChronicle.com
Michael Nien lived on the 15th floor of a 28-story residential tower at 100 Van Ness. According to police reports, in October 2022 he allegedly ran down the hallways of the building banging on doors. He then stopped on the 11th floor and twisted open a high-pressure fire hose valve causing water to flood through hallways and seep into hundreds of apartments below resulting in $14 million worth of damages.
Nien was charged with felony vandalism and resisting arrest. His attorney has filed a motion to reduce charges from a felony to misdemeanor. Developer Oz Erickson and Emerald Fund associate Brynn McKiernan argued that the felony charges should stick due to the damages and the 260 residents who had to relocate for three months while the building was repaired.