401 Central Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117

The 31-unit, three-story multi-family residential building at 401 Central Ave in Park North, owned by Poplar Tree LP, has a storied history dating back to 1904. The building has undergone several significant modifications and maintenance work in recent years, including a completed soft-story seismic retrofit in 2016 (though currently facing associated violations), reroofing in 2022, and various plumbing upgrades including boiler and water tank replacements.

Of particular concern are two recent fire safety violations from 2023 regarding sleeping area requirements and alarm system maintenance, though the latter was abated. The property has experienced recurring issues with boiler permit compliance, with an active violation as of April 2024 regarding an unpermitted boiler installation. The building's maintenance history shows regular attention to infrastructure needs, including HVAC upgrades and window replacements, though some proposed improvements have encountered setbacks, such as a 2017 permit for adding units that was ultimately cancelled.

Multiple routine housing inspections have been conducted over the years, though most were completed without significant findings. While the soft-story retrofit work has received some recognition as "Complete" with a Certificate of Final Completion (CFC) issued, the building remains on the Mandatory Soft Story Program list (as Tier II) with ongoing compliance requirements. The surrounding area has experienced typical urban challenges as evidenced by numerous recent 311 calls related to street cleaning, though these are primarily external to the building itself and have generally been resolved promptly.