1753-1763 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117

The three-story, six-unit multi-family residential building at 1753-1763 Fulton Street, owned by the John E Wai 1981 Living Trust, was constructed in 1904 and has undergone several significant modifications over the years. Most notably, the building is currently not compliant with the Mandatory Soft Story Retrofit Program requirements, with an active violation filed in October 2020 regarding incomplete seismic retrofit work that was supposed to be addressed under a $600,000 permit from 2014. This permitted work included general remodeling of all units, adding bathrooms, relocating kitchens, and mandatory soft-story upgrades.

More recently, in June 2024, permits were issued for the recommencement and completion of previously approved work, with an estimated cost of $300,000. The property has experienced numerous maintenance and compliance issues over its history, including a period of illegal short-term rental activity that was investigated and resolved in 2017, and multiple building violations in 2004 related to safety concerns such as smoke detectors and emergency exits. Recent complaints from 2022 and 2023 have been filed regarding various maintenance issues, including uncontained paint scrapings and concerns about a neighboring property's expansion plans.

While the building has undergone some infrastructure upgrades, including the installation of furnaces in all units and electrical improvements in 2017, it remains the subject of regulatory scrutiny regarding its soft-story retrofit compliance. The property has also experienced several emergency incidents, including smoke-related calls and a carbon monoxide incident, though these did not result in civilian injuries. The building's status regarding current building codes and safety requirements, particularly in relation to seismic retrofitting, remains an active area of concern as of October 2023.