2055-2059 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133

The 7-unit, 3-story multi-family residential building at 2055-2059 Powell St in North Beach, owned by Wong Sun Wai and constructed in 1908, has undergone several significant safety improvements in recent years. Most notably, in 2016, the building completed a mandatory soft-story seismic retrofit at a cost of $150,000, bringing it into compliance with San Francisco building codes. During the same year, sewer line replacement work was completed in the garage area, and there was an illegal construction complaint filed in April 2016, though this is now marked as Not Active.

A concerning issue from 2010 regarding a possible illegal in-law unit and over-occupancy in the garage area remains listed as Active. The building has a documented history of safety violations and maintenance issues, particularly from 2002-2006. A routine inspection in 2002 revealed multiple violations that were addressed by August of the same year, including the need for fire proofing, smoke detectors, fire extinguisher maintenance, and repairs to interior surfaces. A follow-up inspection in 2006 also identified several issues requiring attention, including repairs to wood stairs and ceilings in the garage area.

While these historical violations were resolved, there have been ongoing maintenance and safety concerns, including a 1991 window repair and various building maintenance matters. The property has been subject to regular routine inspections and maintenance updates, including recent plumbing work in 2016. The surrounding area has experienced various urban issues, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls between 2019 and 2024, including reports of graffiti, garbage, and cleaning needs, though these are external to the building itself and represent typical urban neighborhood challenges rather than building-specific problems. The building's Tier 3 soft-story retrofit work has been completed and received its Certificate of Final Completion (CFC), demonstrating compliance with seismic safety requirements.