783-785 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

The three-story, 8-unit multi-family residential building at 783-785 Columbus Avenue in North Beach, owned by Jeffrey & Sophie Lau, has a history of maintenance and compliance issues since its 1906 construction. Most notably, the building was classified as a Tier 4 Non-Compliant soft-story structure in 2018, triggering mandatory seismic retrofitting requirements under San Francisco Building Code 505E. While recent permits from November 2023 indicate attempts to address this through commercial and residential soft-story seismic upgrades and ADA bathroom additions (totaling $95,000), a January 2023 complaint has led to active violations regarding incomplete mandatory retrofit work, with a director hearing scheduled for July 2023.

The property has experienced persistent issues with water intrusion and roof maintenance, as evidenced by multiple complaints between 2016 and 2019 regarding roof deck safety, leaks, and related problems. Building maintenance records show various attempts to address these issues through permits for roof repairs in 2016 and 2012, as well as bathroom conversions and plumbing work in 2018-2024. A cluster of building violations from 2012 (now inactive) highlighted multiple maintenance concerns requiring attention, including electrical, plumbing, interior surfaces, and security-related issues.

Recent building complaints from March 2023 described the property as experiencing water intrusion, with claims of being abandoned and derelict, though these complaints were later marked as not active. The commercial portion of the property has faced challenges as well, with multiple complaints about a vacant storefront between 2018-2023. Recent plumbing and electrical work permits from late 2024 suggest ongoing maintenance activity. The building's current non-compliant status in the soft-story program, despite recent upgrade efforts, represents the most significant outstanding compliance issue, particularly regarding earthquake safety requirements.