170-174 Downey St, San Francisco, CA 94117

The three-story, seven-unit multi-family residential building at 170-174 Downey Street, owned by the Lee/Wong Marital Trust, has undergone significant improvements over the past two decades, with substantial recent activity focused on safety systems. Most notably, in July 2023, the building received a fire alarm system upgrade at a cost of $25,850, following a recent fire alarm complaint in October 2023 that was promptly corrected. The building completed its mandatory Tier 3 soft-story retrofit in 2014, which included new foundations and shear walls for first-floor service spaces, demonstrating compliance with seismic safety requirements.

Other major improvements from 2014 included a comprehensive unit remodel with kitchen and bath updates, new energy-efficient windows, and electrical system upgrades with the installation of modern safety systems such as smoke detectors and dedicated circuit panels. The property has a history of addressing safety and maintenance concerns, with several building violations from 2004 and 2011 that were all successfully abated by March 2005. These violations were primarily related to security, handrails, plumbing, and fire safety requirements.

Infrastructure improvements have included stair repairs (2020), various plumbing updates, and electrical system modifications, including a 400-amp service upgrade in 2009. The building's maintenance history shows responsive management to both regular inspections and emergency situations, though there have been occasional issues noted through 311 calls, such as flooding (2020), graffiti (2020), and general cleaning needs. Recent 311 calls have mostly related to routine street cleaning and parking issues near the building, indicating typical urban challenges faced by the property.