1881 Bush St
San Francisco, CA 94109
61 beds • Est. 2003 (23 years) • Get directions
Since 2021, state inspectors have cited Kokoro Assisted Living 4 times (0 serious, 4 minor) and confirmed 3 complaints across 10 inspections. In one confirmed complaint from October 2021, the home arranged for an outside consulting group to assess a resident without telling the person responsible for that resident. The home also didn't answer that person's emails and didn't give them all the medical records they asked for. Another confirmed complaint found that a resident lost 15.4 pounds during 2019, and the resident's doctor wasn't told until January 2020. It also found that after residents fell, the person responsible for the resident was told only out loud and not in writing. Inspectors dismissed a complaint about emergency drills as unfounded. Visits in March 2024 and October 2025 cited no deficiencies.
From ~5 years of state inspection records, as of October 2026. How the score works · Report a data error
Kokoro Assisted Living is a 61-bed community in San Francisco offering a Japanese-inspired approach to senior care. Its intimate scale and cultural focus set it apart from larger, more generic communities in the Bay Area.
Strong safety record
Among the cleaner records in the state: 0 serious and 4 minor citations across 10 state inspections, with 3 verified complaints. A record this consistent is one of the clearest signs a home is well-run.
Japanese American cultural mission
Founded in 1996 by the Japanese American Religious Federation to serve the SF Japanese American community. Japanese and American culture, cuisine, and traditions are woven into daily life — not a marketing add-on.
Nonprofit with income-set-aside units
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Of 54 residential units, 37 are designated for low-to-moderate income residents — unusually strong affordability infrastructure for San Francisco.
Historic Japantown building
Main building is a restoration of the former Sokoji Buddhist Temple, a cultural landmark in SF's Japanese American community since the 1940s. Ask about what spaces are in the restored temple.
Managed by an outside operator
Day-to-day operations are run by Sequoia Living, not KALI's nonprofit board directly. Ask how governance decisions flow between the board and the management company.
Income-restricted units may have waitlists
37 of 54 units are set aside for low-to-moderate income residents. Availability and eligibility criteria for those units are worth clarifying early.
Pricing is estimated, please contact the facility to confirm.
1881 Bush St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Get directionsLicense data from the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division. View full state record
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