Follow-up to our news item dated May 19, 2005:

We were informed June 22^nd by the San Francisco Fire Department that the management of Lakewood Apartments has failed to comply with the order of the Fire Marshall to either obtain Underwriter’s Laboratory certification of the fire alarm system, or to submit a plan for future certification of the fire alarm system, no later than June 5, 2005. According to the inspector, Lakewood Apartments management is declining to obtain such a plan for cost reasons. Further actions may be taken against Lakewood Apartments for violation of this order.

Certification of fire alarm systems in apartment buildings is a requirement of the San Francisco Fire Code. The reason that the fire alarm system is not presently certified is that the system is not working properly and, therefore, cannot be certified.

OPINION: It remains our belief that the owners and management of Lakewood Apartments have known that the fire alarm system has not been working properly for a period of years. We believe that it is criminal for them to knowingly fail to take whatever steps and spend whatever amount of money is required to restore the fire alarm system to full certified functionality as required by law. We continue to caution all residents of Lakewood Apartments to call 911 on the phone rather than to pull an alarm station in the hallways because the alarm system cannot be relied upon at this time and for the foreseeable future. All tenants should realize that, in the event of a fire, the fire alarm system might not sound an alarm. If there is a fire and no alarm sounds, we suggest that tenants who may become aware of such a fire bang on doors or take other steps to rouse their neighbors to safety.