683-685 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94111

The Teo Chew Community Center I property at 683-685 Clay Street is a 2-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building with an attached retail space, constructed in 1908 in San Francisco's Financial District North. The building has undergone several significant improvements over the years, including a seismic retrofit completed in 2000 costing $60,000, window replacements, kitchen renovations, and bathroom improvements in 2002, and basement drywall work in 2003.

More recently, there have been multiple fire safety concerns, with six violations issued between March 2023 and December 2024 related to sprinkler systems, alarm systems, sleeping area requirements, and street numbering, though most have been marked as "Condition Corrected" or "Abated." The building has experienced several false fire alarms, with recurring issues related to alarm systems and sprinkler systems throughout 2023-2024. The property has also had some accessibility challenges, with a complaint about entrance steps and power operators filed in 2001, though this complaint was resolved in 2003. In recent months, the area around the building has faced significant sanitation issues, with multiple 311 calls between December 2024 and January 2025 reporting various types of garbage and debris, including incidents of human waste.

There have been two open complaints as of late December 2024 regarding what appears to be a recurring issue with garbage and debris. Historically, the building has experienced typical urban maintenance issues, with various permits issued for electrical repairs, including a 2009 correction to the #685 unit meter wiring and a gas line installation. The property has maintained compliance with major safety requirements, having successfully addressed most violations through corrective actions, though the recent pattern of fire safety concerns and the current sanitation issues in the vicinity represent notable ongoing challenges.