225 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102

The 21-unit multi-family residential building at 225 Fell Street in Hayes Valley, owned by David H. Johnson, has undergone several significant safety upgrades and faced multiple maintenance challenges since its construction in 1915. Most recently, in January 2024, the building completed an upgrade of its fire alarm system to include low frequency sounders to comply with San Francisco Fire Department requirements, which represents the most current commitment to resident safety.

The building underwent mandatory soft-story seismic retrofitting in 2016-2017, completing both residential and commercial components, and has been categorized as Tier 4 with a Certificate of Final Completion issued. Historical maintenance issues came to light during a 2009 inspection, revealing multiple violations related to fire safety, plumbing, and general maintenance, though these were abated by June 2009. More recent concerns have included water-related issues, with multiple flooding incidents reported in 2018, and several building complaints regarding garbage management and maintenance between 2013-2021.

The property has experienced recurring fire safety system issues, evidenced by multiple fire complaints between 2015 and 2024 regarding alarm systems, sprinkler systems, and exit maintenance, with the most recent violation for sleeping area requirements issued in December 2023. Historical records show the building underwent significant enforcement action in 1992 to remove unauthorized residential modifications, and in 2021, there was a complaint about illegal residential use of commercial space that was subsequently closed. The building's location has been the subject of numerous 311 calls in recent months (2024) primarily related to street cleaning and waste management, though these external issues don't directly impact building safety.