526 Natoma St, San Francisco, CA 94103

The three-story, 6-unit apartment building at 526 Natoma Street in the South of Market neighborhood, built in 1909, has a documented history of fire-related incidents and safety improvements. The building suffered significant fire damage in 2000 (costing $131,600) and again in 2001 (costing $60,000), leading to comprehensive repairs.

In 2014, the property underwent a $43,000 soft-story retrofit to comply with seismic safety requirements. The building faced multiple fire safety violations in early 2004, including issues with combustible storage under rear stairs, fire sprinkler requirements for the garbage chute, and stair repairs, all of which were resolved by March 2004. More recent concerns include electrical issues in October 2014, with complaints about intermittent power problems in multiple units, though these complaints were marked as not active.

The property has been subject to various routine safety inspections, most recently in 2011, and there was a tenant buyout recorded in March 2019 for $45,000 involving one tenant. While the building's internal safety issues appear to have been addressed, there have been numerous recent 311 calls (ten in total from October to December 2024) primarily related to garbage and debris on the surrounding sidewalks, suggesting ongoing challenges with litter management in the vicinity. Additionally, the property was previously investigated for illegal short-term rentals, with the owner being John O'Donovan, but this issue appears to have been resolved as closed - abated in the planning records.