The family home of Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu in San Francisco’s upscale Seacliff neighborhood has come under scrutiny lately due to a large collection of discarded furniture and household items that have upset the neighbors.
A variety of items—ranging from couches and mattresses to broken furniture, clothes, books, and even medicine bottles—were reportedly piled up on the debris-strewn sidewalk outside their property on 25th Street on Tuesday. It was so cluttered that fire hydrants were reportedly obscured.
A complaint about the mess was submitted through the city’s 311 system on Monday night.
The following morning, workers from Recology came to check on the situation but apparently couldn’t find the scheduled pick-up.
Initially, without anyone answering the door, they hesitated to remove the items.
Neighbor Ira Glick, affiliated with Stanford University, mentioned that, seeing no response, he attempted to get in touch with the Gu family.
Yang Gu, Eileen’s mother, contested the notion that they carelessly discarded their belongings. She stated that she had moved her items outside around 1 a.m., carefully packaged into about 20 boxes and covered to protect them from rain.
Yang expressed her surprise at finding the contents scattered on the sidewalk and attributed the mess to garbage collectors or what she described as “unscrupulous people” who may have torn into the trash pile.
She also alleged that someone had intentionally removed a shirt bearing her daughter’s name from the pile.
Yang assured that trucks were already en route to clean up the items on Tuesday afternoon.
This incident occurs amidst ongoing tensions between the Gu family and some of their neighbors. Glick reported that the family recently hired a gardener and is currently locked in a dispute over property lines with another resident. Additionally, another neighbor mentioned they haven’t spoken to the Gu family in years following a disagreement over a newly built driveway.
Yang Gu also accused one neighbor of having a reflective, rotating weather vane that shines light into their home “like a disco ball,” prompting them to constantly close their curtains.
City records show that the property has faced various complaints over the years. One, filed on April 28, raised issues of neglect and overgrown vegetation, which reportedly attracted pests. However, city inspectors found no violations after an inspection the following day.
The property was previously the subject of a sewer-related complaint in January 2024, where sewage was said to have pooled in the backyard. A contractor was later brought in to clean the area and secure the necessary permits for more permanent repairs.
In a separate legal matter, the property is named in a lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court on January 28. The plaintiff, Adolfo Avila Chavez, claims he suffered serious injuries from falling off a poorly installed 10-foot ramp while gardening on the property in July 2024.
The lawsuit names Yang Gu and contractor Hector Alvarez as defendants, alleging that Alvarez hired Avila-Chavez as an unlicensed and uninsured contractor, neglecting to provide him with safety equipment.
It is claimed that the fall resulted in permanent injuries.
Built in 1925, the Sea Cliff home has been a source of neighbor complaints and municipal investigations for over a decade. Neither of the defendants has filed a response to the lawsuit.
Eileen Gu, who was born and raised in San Francisco, represents China in international competitions. She holds the distinction of being the most decorated female freeskier in Olympic history, with a total of six medals—three gold and three silver.
