4801 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118

The 6-unit multi-family residential building at 4801 California Street in the Inner Richmond, owned by the Louie Family Trust, has undergone several significant safety upgrades in recent years. Most notably, in 2023 the building completed fire alarm system upgrades to comply with San Francisco Fire Code requirements, including the installation of low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas and updating all existing devices (cost: $18,000). The building is also compliant with soft-story retrofit requirements (Tier 3) following a $50,000 seismic retrofit completed in 2014.

Recent fire safety concerns were addressed in September 2024 when a violation was issued regarding the alarm system maintenance, though this was subsequently abated. The building has a history of maintenance and safety improvements dating back to the 1980s, including reroofing in 1995 and re-stuccoing in 1989, with more recent plumbing work including a sewer line repair and replacement in 2010. While there was a cluster of building violations in 2003 related to fire safety, security, and plumbing/electrical issues, these were all abated by August 2003.

A complaint from 2012 reported mold issues and electrical problems, though these were marked as not active within a few months. The property has experienced multiple fire alarm system activations and false alarms over the years, but notably, there have been no recorded civilian injuries from any incidents. Recently, there have been recurring issues with garbage and debris management on the property, with multiple Recology calls in 2025 reporting overflowing city garbage cans.