Pre-1975 Buildings & SF Fire Code Update

In 2022, the SF Board of Supervisors updated the San Francisco fire code. As homeowners and residents, we share the city's commitment to fire safety. The fires at the Gateway complex that prompted this legislation were serious.

The current ordinance can be improved to protect lives without displacing homeowners or forcing sales. Fire Safety is Good! — let's get this right.

The ordinance, as written, creates unintended harm — it disproportionately impacts elderly residents and forces sales at a loss.

Other Cities Solved This Already For Way Less — Los Angeles's "Dorothy Mae" ordinance has protected escape routes at a fraction of the cost for 40 years. San Francisco can learn from their experience.

Formal Cost Study — No analysis was conducted before passage, and costs have tripled since the 2016 estimates. Owners deserve clarity before the 2027 permit deadline.

Amend, Not Repeal — Could common-area sprinklers or trigger-based retrofits during major renovations achieve safety goals without massive costs and impacts?

What About Rental Buildings and Renters? — The fires that prompted this legislation occurred in rental buildings, yet condo owners—many of them seniors on fixed incomes—bear the financial burden.

We're grateful to Supervisors Sherrill and Sauter for engaging with residents on this issue, and hope the city can find a balanced, fair, and safe solution.

San Francisco High-Rise Sprinkler Mandate Background

The 2022 ordinance (File No. 220038) requires automatic sprinklers in all residential high-rise (12 stories or more) home built before 1975. It was motivated, in part by fires in 2018 and 2020 at The Gateway, a rental complex.

While well-intentioned for fire safety, the mandate creates severe unintended consequences: estimated costs of $113,000-$300,000+ per unit, displacement of elderly residents, no city funding mechanism to assist owners.

The ordinance affects 126 buildings (~9,800 units), with the majority in SF Supervisor Districts 2 and 3, which are in the North (district 7) and NorthEast (district 8) Areas of San Francisco in our MLS.