550-556 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133

The three-story multi-family residential building at 550-556 Union Street in Telegraph Hill, owned by Helen Kong Tr, was constructed in 1916 and contains 6 units. The building has undergone several significant maintenance and safety-related updates in recent years, with the most notable being a complete electrical upgrade in May 2023, where the building switched from existing Federal Pacific panels to new ones with proper grounding systems. In January-February 2023, critical plumbing work was completed to address issues with a wall furnace in Unit A that had been installed without proper permits in December 2022.

The building had a series of fire safety violations in late 2015 related to fire escape maintenance, compliance affidavits, fire extinguisher tags, and security concerns, all of which were resolved by January 2016. The property has experienced several maintenance issues over the years, including a 2014 incident where a section of the facade required repairs due to brick veneer damage and dry rot. Historical complaints show previous concerns about paint conditions (with potential lead concerns) in 2010 and 2019, a sloping kitchen floor in 2011, and various routine inspections revealing different maintenance needs.

Street-related permits were issued in 2011 and 2014, and a reroofing project was noted from 1996, though this permit has expired. The area around the building has experienced ongoing urban challenges, as evidenced by numerous 311 calls in 2024 regarding garbage, debris, and street cleaning issues, with ten such incidents recorded between May and December 2024, including several cases involving abandoned furniture and other materials. A recent false fire alarm was also recorded with no civilian injuries.