683-699 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94109

The 38-unit, 4-story apartment building at 683-699 O'Farrell Street, built in 1916, has experienced numerous maintenance and safety issues in recent years, with particularly concerning problems emerging in 2023-2024. Most notably, there have been ongoing issues with the building's fire safety systems, including an August 2024 complaint about malfunctioning fire alarm and sprinkler systems, and multiple fire violations regarding alarm system maintenance and certification continuing into 2024. The building has also faced persistent elevator problems, with documented outages in December 2023 and more recently sparking issues reported in June 2024.

Other infrastructure concerns include boiler permit renewal issues in early 2024, and multiple complaints about hanging wires in the basement. The property has undergone various unit renovations between 2017-2022, including kitchen and bathroom remodels in units 105, 409, and 404, as well as fire sprinkler system upgrades in 2022. The building's fire safety record shows a pattern of alarm system and sprinkler issues, with violations documented in 2022, 2023, and 2024, though some have been corrected.

Historical violations from 2002 specifically noted problems with lead paint hazards, damaged walls, elevator maintenance, and fire escape ladders, though these were abated by April 2002. Recent improvement efforts include accessible business entrance upgrades in late 2022, involving new door operators and hardware. The property, under current ownership of 691 O'Farrell St LLC, has continued to experience maintenance challenges typical of older buildings, particularly regarding essential systems like elevators, fire safety, and HVAC. The latest complaints indicate ongoing concerns about the responsiveness of management, particularly regarding building systems maintenance and safety equipment functionality.