I have anecdotally heard people regularly ignore the standard permitting processes and the state lacks the bandwidth for enforcing code violations. Not for huge scale projects, but more for SFH-type improvements.
Almost no one in SF gets permits unless it's for something big enough that your neighbors will narc on you for. Most houses that are for sale will have some form of unpermitted work done on it.
Not in SF from what I've seen. Unpermitted work is so common that people basically don't care anymore. Maybe in other cities where it's more common to get permits, it will definitely make a difference, but not in SF.
