159-163 Chattanooga St, San Francisco, CA 94114

The three-story, six-unit multi-family residential building at 159-163 Chattanooga Street in Noe Valley, owned by Muhawieh Isa J, was constructed in 1908 and has undergone several significant renovations and faced multiple maintenance challenges over the past two decades. Most notably, the building experienced serious issues following a fire in September 2000 that resulted in extensive water damage and delayed repairs, particularly affecting electrical systems and heating infrastructure. In recent years, there have been recurring maintenance problems, including multiple tenant complaints in 2023 regarding a broken back door allowing rodent access and inadequate fire safety measures, such as a malfunctioning smoke detector and meter access issues.

The building has completed its mandatory soft-story seismic retrofit under San Francisco's Tier 3 requirements, though the associated permits were filed as far back as 2019. Significant improvements were made between 2018-2019, including the installation of a new fire sprinkler system, complete electrical service upgrade to 400 amps, and the construction of additional dwelling units (ADUs) with new plumbing systems. Recent tenant complaints from late 2023 suggest ongoing maintenance challenges, particularly regarding security and safety features, with reports of an unfinished door replacement and waterproofing issues.

The building's history includes numerous violations from 2001 related to security, electrical, and water damage issues, all of which were abated by September 2001. Periodic routine inspections and multiple repair attempts have occurred over the years, with varying degrees of success. External to the building itself, there have been several reports of street cleaning and maintenance issues in the vicinity, as documented in 311 calls, though these are not directly related to the building's condition or management.