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The Situation: San Francisco Officials Investigate Elon Musk’s Unpermitted Logo Installation on X Headquarters

The city of San Francisco sent representatives twice this weekend to inquire about the flashing, gargantuan ÔÇ£XÔÇØ logo that Elon Musk installed atop his social media platformÔÇÖs downtown headquarters, the latest in his attempts to rebrand the company.

A city building inspector has since tried twice ÔÇö on Friday and on Saturday ÔÇö to gain access to the new rooftop sign, according to the cityÔÇÖs complaint tracker. X representatives denied access to the inspector, allegedly telling the official that the structure ÔÇ£is a temporary lighted sign for an event,ÔÇØ according to the cityÔÇÖs complaint. The city inspector explained to on-site X representatives that the structure must be removed or abide by city code.

ItÔÇÖs unclear what penalties the company may face, but building violations often incur fees, according to the city website, at least to ÔÇ£reimburse the department for the cost of the investigation and enforcement.ÔÇØ City officials did not immediately respond to The Washington Post on Sunday.

San Francisco requires a permit to approve new letters or symbols on a buildingÔÇÖs sign ÔÇ£to ensure consistency with the historic nature of the building and to ensure the new additions are safely attached to the sign,ÔÇØ Patrick Hannan, a spokesperson for the cityÔÇÖs Department of Building Inspection, told The Post last week.

The X headquartersÔÇÖ revamp sparked scrutiny Monday, when the company brought in a crane to pluck the decade-old Twitter logo off the building and disrupted two lanes of traffic at a busy intersection. Local police received reports around 1 p.m. about a ÔÇ£possible unpermitted street closure,ÔÇØ The Post reported. The crane left by midafternoon, leaving the companyÔÇÖs old logo removal haphazardly unfinished.

MuskÔÇÖs new logo took its looming place on Friday, and by Saturday, he posted a nearly 20-second video, displaying the enormous, beaming ÔÇ£XÔÇØ in slow-motion. The company did not immediately respond to The Post on Sunday.

ÔÇ£Many have offered rich incentives for X (fka Twitter) to move its HQ out of San Francisco. Moreover, the city is in a doom spiral with one company after another left or leaving. Therefore, they expect X will move too,ÔÇØ Musk posted on Saturday. ÔÇ£We will not. You only know who your real friends are when the chips are down. San Francisco, beautiful San Francisco, though others forsake you, we will always be your friend.ÔÇØ (Musk has previously regarded San Francisco with apparent disdain.)

Meanwhile, many users on X were quick to criticize the sign, blasting it as inconsiderate for nearby residences and distasteful.

Musk announced the social media platformÔÇÖs new name and logo, X, early last week.

ItÔÇÖs the most recent source of confusion regarding the company, which has been mired in controversy and chaos since Musk acquired it for $44 billion last fall. The company has been sued for failing to pay millions in rent and investigated for illegally converting offices into bunk rooms. It shed more than 80 percent of its workforce. It ended its verification system in favor of blue check marks for purchase. Now, the new name X has spurred bewilderment among users and raised questions about brand management.

Trisha Thadani contributed to this report.