1155 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94103

This 3-story, 18-unit multi-family residential building at 1155 Howard Street, owned by Sams Management Company LP, was constructed in 1914 and has a significant history of safety-related improvements and maintenance issues. The property has undergone several important safety upgrades in recent years, including a complete replacement of the fire alarm system in August 2023 ($37,723), addition of cellular communication capabilities in 2018, and completion of mandatory soft-story retrofit work in 2017 ($145,000) to enhance earthquake resilience. There is currently an open violation from December 2023 regarding sleeping area requirements that requires attention.

The building's fire safety systems have been the subject of multiple maintenance and inspection activities, with recent fire complaints in 2025 (fire escape) and December 2023 (sleeping area requirements). Historical records show periodic fire safety concerns, including several false alarms and smoke detector activations, but no civilian injuries have been reported in any incidents. The property has experienced various maintenance challenges over its history, including a notable incident in 1996 when the building was reported as abandoned due to a roof fire. There were multiple violations issued in 2004 regarding building security, fire safety, and maintenance issues, all of which were abated by March 2004.

Recent inspection history shows regular housing inspections, with the most recent building-specific complaint in 2022 focusing on the sub-basement foundation area. A series of 311 calls from late 2024 to early 2025 primarily relate to sidewalk cleanliness and debris issues, while recent fire-related inspections have focused on escape route maintenance and sleeping area compliance. The building has undergone some unit-specific improvements, such as kitchen and bathroom remodels in units 9 and 11 in 2012, though there were multiple permit cancellations related to this work. The property is classified as a Tier 3 soft-story building, indicating it has completed the required seismic retrofit work.