422 Plymouth Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112

The two-unit residential building at 422 Plymouth Avenue in Oceanview has undergone several significant transformations and faced multiple regulatory challenges since its construction in 1961. The 2-story structure, owned by Lau Geng Luo, was originally designed as a multi-family residential building but has encountered persistent issues with unauthorized unit conversions. Most notably, in 2002 there was a major enforcement action regarding an illegally constructed third unit on the ground floor, including a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, which led to multiple building violations that year for issues including inadequate lighting, mold problems, and unsafe stairs.

The illegal unit was eventually legalized through a $25,000 permit in 2006, along with an electrical upgrade to a 200-amp service with three meters. More recently, the property has experienced recurring maintenance and safety issues, with the most pressing concerns being two sewage backup incidents reported in October and December 2023, and several complaints about parking violations affecting access to the property throughout 2023-2024. The building underwent some legitimate improvements in 2019, including window replacements and stucco repairs, completed under a $3,000 permit.

However, there was also a complaint in 2017 regarding unauthorized kitchen remodels and bathroom additions on the upper floors, suggesting ongoing issues with unpermitted modifications. The property has generated multiple 311 calls in recent months, primarily related to parking enforcement and general street cleaning, though these are external to the building's condition itself. The property's history reveals a pattern of unauthorized modifications and subsequent corrective actions, with the most serious violations occurring in the early 2000s when the building reportedly functioned with three separate dwelling units instead of the legally permitted two. While some recent improvements have been properly permitted, the building's past non-compliance issues with unit conversions and related systems (including electrical and plumbing) suggest a history of maintenance challenges that have required significant oversight by city authorities.