SF Considers Delaying High-Rise Sprinkler Mandate
San Francisco is considering a delay for a controversial mandate requiring sprinklers in high-rise condominiums. The proposed $300,000 requirement has faced opposition due to the high costs of retrofitting older buildings. The potential delay reflects the ongoing debate between public safety measures and financial burdens on property owners.
- The 2022 ordinance applies to 126 residential high-rise buildings constructed before 1975, affecting approximately 9,800 units. It was passed following a year that saw a 10-year high in building fires in San Francisco, though most of these fires did not happen in the types of buildings covered by the mandate. - In response to opposition from residents, Mayor Daniel Lurie introduced legislation to postpone the mandate, and in February 2026, a Board of Supervisors committee approved a five-year moratorium on the requirement. The proposed delay also includes the formation of a "Technical Advisory Committee" to assess the feasibility of the ordinance and explore potential exemptions. - There is a significant disagreement on the financial impact; while some residents and homeowners associations project costs upwards of $300,000 per unit, the National Fire Sprinkler Association calls these figures "wildly inflated." The NFSA points to a sample bid for a 12-story building totaling $725,000, and a contractor at a public hearing stated the work could be done for about $60,000 per unit. - The legislation was originally sponsored by Supervisors Connie Chan, Rafael Mandelman, Myrna Melgar, and Shamann Walton, and introduced by former Supervisor Aaron Peskin. Reports suggest it was adopted without formal cost studies or direct consultation with owners in the affected buildings. - This type of retroactive, city-wide mandate is not a common practice. For example, the city of San Diego had previously adopted a sprinkler retrofit law for all existing high-rises but later removed it from the municipal code. - The current ordinance requires affected property owners to obtain building permits for the sprinkler installation by 2027, with the work to be completed by 2035. The proposed delay would push the initial permit deadline to 2030.
