728-730 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117

The 10-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building at 730 Divisadero St in Alamo Square, built in 1927 and currently owned by the Christopher-Smith 2017 Trust, has undergone several significant safety upgrades in recent years. Most notably, in early 2024, the building completed a fire alarm system upgrade to comply with San Francisco Fire Code requirements, including the installation of low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas and upgrading the fire panel and devices to meet modern standards, with a reported cost of over $39,000. The building has also been identified as a Tier 4 Soft Story property and is currently classified as Non-Compliant, which indicates a seismic vulnerability that has not been adequately addressed.

The history of the building shows attention to safety concerns, including a $55,000 seismic retrofit completed in 2013 involving new moment frames and footings. A significant cluster of fire safety violations was documented in 2003, including issues with fire extinguishers, fire escape ladders, and self-closing doors, though these were all abated by June 2003. Routine safety inspections have been conducted in 2003, 2010, and 2017, with a "blight" complaint filed in 2022, all of which are listed as Not Active.

The building has experienced several maintenance and safety-related issues typical of older properties, including a plumbing problem (kitchen sink backup) in 2007, sidewalk repairs in 2006, and reroofing work in 2000. The property has faced recurring graffiti issues, particularly between 2018-2020, with several incidents reported to the Department of Public Works, though these were primarily affecting the commercial portion of the building and were resolved through proper channels. A formal fire alarm system violation was referred to hearing in December 2017, suggesting ongoing issues with the building's safety systems prior to the recent upgrade. The building's current status shows no active major violations or complaints as of the most recent data, though there are historical compliance issues with the soft story retrofit requirements that remain outstanding.