905 Ashbury St, San Francisco, CA 94117

The three-story, 4-unit apartment building at 905 Ashbury Street in the Buena Vista Park neighborhood, owned by Eric Roussel, has a long history of maintenance issues and regulatory violations dating back to its 1906 construction. Most notably, there are serious current concerns about unauthorized modifications and illegal short-term rentals, with a January 2024 complaint alleging the conversion of a bedroom closet into an unauthorized unit with plumbing and the illegal accommodation of 21 guests across five Airbnb listings, in violation of the RH-3 zoning designation.

The property has undergone several important safety improvements, including a $120,000 mandatory soft-story retrofit completed in 2023, and various stairway repairs including a 2018 emergency post replacement. The building has experienced multiple maintenance and safety issues over the years, including a 2017 incident involving a staircase fire and defective railing that injured a guest, documented complaints about garbage management in 2018, and various interior repairs required in 2002 related to water damage, security doors, and interior surfaces.

Prior unauthorized modifications were proposed in 2008 to convert living spaces into a garage, and there have been historical concerns about illegal basement units, group housing violations, and inadequate fire safety measures. The property has maintained active responses to citations and complaints, with most historical violations having been abated, though recent concerns about unauthorized unit additions and short-term rentals remain under review.