829-851 Masonic Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117

The 12-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building at 829-851 Masonic Ave, owned by Ho Family Trust and built in 1954, has undergone several significant renovations and faced multiple compliance issues over the past decades. Most notably, in 2021, there were multiple violations and complaints regarding unpermitted work involving gut renovations, plumbing, and electrical modifications in several units, which ultimately led to proper electrical, plumbing, and building permits being obtained for the work costing $45,000-$250,000. A significant safety concern arose in June 2021 when construction work created unsafe conditions in the shared laundry area with inadequate dust containment and safety precautions during seismic retrofitting work.

The building is classified as tier 3 soft-story and is currently non-compliant, with previous mandatory seismic retrofit work permitted in 2017 costing $70,000. The property has a history of maintenance and safety issues requiring attention, including multiple violations between 2002-2003 related to stair repairs, electrical systems, fire safety, and plumbing work, though these were all eventually abated. More recent concerns include three fire complaints between 2021-2023 regarding exit maintenance, blocked exits, and extinguishers, all of which were determined to have no merit or were corrected.

The building's recent maintenance history shows regular upkeep and improvements, including a $25,000 kitchen remodel in 2021 and various repairs in response to building violations. Multiple 311 calls in 2023-2024 have primarily concerned external issues such as graffiti, illegal parking, and sidewalk maintenance, with a hazardous materials case currently open as of October 2023. The records show a pattern of delayed compliance with building codes and regulations, especially regarding the property's soft-story status and various violations, though recent improvements indicate ongoing maintenance and upgrading of the property. The last significant internal building complaints were primarily concentrated in 2021, suggesting that most recent renovations and compliance work have addressed many of the previous concerns, though there are still some open issues related to soft-story compliance and some outdoor maintenance matters.