499 Walnut St, San Francisco, CA 94118

The 11-unit, 3-story multi-family residential building at 499 Walnut Street in Presidio Heights, owned by Andrew & Lina Po Chow Ow 20, has undergone several significant safety and maintenance improvements since its construction in 1972. The most critical work was the successful completion of a mandatory soft story retrofit in 2019, following a citation in November 2017 for failure to initiate the required seismic improvements. This $80,000 project brought the building into compliance with San Francisco's earthquake safety requirements as a Tier 3 soft story structure.

The building has experienced recurring fire safety system inspections and issues between 2009 and 2024, including multiple citations and corrections related to fire alarms and extinguishers, most recently in July 2024. Historical maintenance work includes a complete reroofing project in 2015 ($20,000), following an earlier 1989 roof upgrade, and a code compliance update in 1987. The building has undergone regular routine inspections in 2000, 2004, and 2008, with violations noted in 2009 regarding doors and fire safety systems that were subsequently resolved.

Recent neighborhood issues outside the building have primarily involved urban infrastructure concerns, such as street lighting, graffiti, and debris, with several cases being resolved through normal city services between 2024 and 2023. The property's recent maintenance history shows attention to fire safety systems, with the most recent inspection in July 2024 noting issues with extinguishers that were corrected by October 2024. The building's overall condition appears to have improved significantly since the resolution of the 2017 soft story citation, though the recurring nature of fire safety inspections suggests ongoing monitoring requirements. The structure's modernization efforts, particularly the seismic retrofit, demonstrate compliance with current safety standards, while historical records indicate responsible maintenance of essential building systems.