838-842 Bay St, San Francisco, CA 94109

The three-story, five-unit multi-family residential building at 838-842 Bay Street in Russian Hill, owned by Valerie J Steinmetz & Loeff, was constructed in 1912 and has undergone several significant improvements over the past decade. Most notably, the building completed its mandatory soft-story retrofit in 2021 at a cost of $30,000, bringing it into compliance with San Francisco's seismic safety requirements.

Recent improvements include comprehensive window replacements, with 12 street-facing windows installed in 2023 ($24,000) followed by two more in 2025 ($6,258). The property has also seen substantial interior upgrades, including a master bathroom renovation in 2022 ($22,000) with associated plumbing and electrical work, and a main water line replacement in 2023. The building has experienced several maintenance challenges, particularly in the early 2010s, including complaints about unpermitted construction, weatherproofing issues, and lead paint concerns.

An active complaint from 2011 regarding unauthorized window and deck modifications at the rear of the building remains on the books, though subsequent improvements suggest efforts to address these concerns. The property has maintained regular compliance with housing inspections, with recent routine inspections showing no significant violations. Outside the building itself, numerous 311 calls from 2023-2024 have been logged for various neighborhood issues, including park services, flooding, graffiti, and parking concerns, though these are largely related to public areas rather than the building itself.