552 5th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118

The three-unit multi-family residential building at 552 5th Avenue in the Inner Richmond, built in 1906 and owned by Kim Young Sook, has experienced several significant maintenance issues over the past decades, with the most pressing problems occurring recently. As of October 2024, there are active complaints regarding electrical hazards (including exposed wires and flickering lights), safety concerns with windows and water leaks, heating system issues, and problems related to damaged walls and paint that may pose lead exposure risks.

This building has a documented history of stairway structural issues, with repairs made in both 2005 and 1985 to address dry rot and other maintenance needs. A cluster of violations was recorded in December 2004 relating to emergency safety systems and smoke detectors, though these were subsequently abated by April 2005.

More recent concerns include a sewage backup incident in August 2024 and multiple complaints about abandoned vehicles in the vicinity throughout 2024, though these are external to the building itself. Historical complaints show a pattern of maintenance challenges, including issues with heating systems, unsafe windows, and unauthorized construction work (a back porch built without permit) from previous years, with many of these problems being addressed through the housing inspection process. The building's maintenance history suggests ongoing challenges with basic infrastructure systems, particularly electrical and plumbing, as evidenced by the most recent active complaints, while earlier violations related to safety systems were addressed within a reasonable timeframe.