1290 Grove St, San Francisco, CA 94117

The six-story, 36-unit apartment building at 1290 Grove Street in Alamo Square, built in 1929 and owned by SF Multifamily 1 LLC, has experienced significant recent challenges with electrical and water systems. Most concerning are active complaints from December 2024 through January 2025 regarding potentially hazardous electrical conditions, including dangerous rewiring, burning wires in the main breaker box, and meter issues, particularly affecting unit 606. The building has also suffered repeated hot water system failures, with multiple complaints in August 2024 and December 2024 about lack of hot water affecting all units.

These recent issues come on top of a documented history of problems, including fire safety violations in 2023 regarding sleeping area requirements and historical violations related to blocked exits and alarm systems. The building is undergoing substantial modifications, including the addition of four new units (units #37-40) at the ground floor, with permits issued in 2020 for conversion of storage and garage space to dwelling units. Recent improvements include a $25,000 lobby improvement project in 2023 focusing on accessibility upgrades. Plumbing works in 2024-2023 involved installation of new water heating systems, though concerns remain about system reliability given the recent hot water complaints.

The building's electrical system has been the subject of multiple recent complaints, suggesting possible systematic issues since most units underwent extensive renovations between 2018-2022, including kitchen and bathroom updates in multiple units, upgrade to 600A service in 2019, and various electrical improvements. The property has a history of addressing various building code violations, including fire safety issues, though many were resolved promptly. There have been multiple tenant buyouts, including one for $40,000 in September 2018, indicating potential unit turnover. Recent complaints and ongoing maintenance issues suggest that while the building has seen significant investment and improvements, there are persistent concerns about the reliability of systems and response to maintenance issues, particularly affecting basic services like hot water and electrical safety.