421 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133

The 421 Union Street building is a 9-unit, 3-story multi-family residential apartment complex located in Telegraph Hill, built in 1906 and currently owned by Lee Marcus. The property has undergone several significant safety upgrades in recent years, most notably the fire alarm system improvements completed in 2022-2023, which included the installation of low frequency sounders, smoke detectors, and other notification devices to comply with San Francisco Fire Code requirements.

The building has also completed mandatory soft-story seismic improvements (Tier 3) with a completion notice issued, and underwent reroofing work in early 2023. The property has experienced recurring fire safety issues over the years, with multiple fire alarm system violations and complaints dating back to at least 2008, including a 2019 violation for alarm system maintenance that was subsequently abated.

Historical compliance issues were noted in 2005 regarding fire extinguishers and fire escape ladders, though these were resolved by June 2005. Other notable past issues include a 2011 complaint about peeling lead paint on the south-facing wall, which was addressed by 2013, and a 2017 complaint regarding a blocked second entry door, which was resolved within two months. The building has maintained active compliance with various safety requirements since these issues were addressed, as evidenced by recent completion of fire safety upgrades and the resolution of past violations.