550-552 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108

The three-story, two-unit multi-family residential building at 550-552 Grant Avenue, owned by Yit Ngan & See Wah Wong Kwo and constructed in 1921, has undergone several significant improvements and faced some concerning safety issues over the years. The building has demonstrated a commitment to safety upgrades, completing seismic retrofits in 2001 and 2002 (costing $92,000 combined), reroofing in 1998, and complying with parapet ordinances in 1985. More recent improvements include a 2012 remodel of the ground floor from a gift store to a tea sales store (costing $40,000), followed by additional modifications in 2015-2016 adding kitchen facilities and electrical upgrades.

However, there have been serious safety concerns, particularly regarding the fire escape system. In 2017, a complaint was filed about an unsafe fire escape with a fixed ladder ending above a vinyl awning about 12 feet from the ground, leading to a fire code violation being issued. The building also has an outstanding issue from 2022 regarding unpermitted installation of metal roll-down gates, which is currently pending review by planning authorities.

Recent maintenance and neighborhood conditions around the building have shown persistent challenges, with multiple 311 calls in 2024 reporting issues with waste and debris in the vicinity. The property has maintained its basic structural and safety requirements, as evidenced by the completion of various building, plumbing, and electrical permits over the years. The most recent building permits have generally been for commercial space improvements rather than residential unit modifications, suggesting the ground floor's primarily commercial use has been maintained. While the building has a history of addressing major structural concerns through permits and improvements, the 2017 fire escape issues and 2022 unpermitted modifications indicate some areas where building modifications may not have followed proper protocols, though these appear to be the exceptions rather than the rule.