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649 Bay St

Russian Hill, SF 94133 0044011 6 units · 3 fl · 1962

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Russian Hill — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 1.9
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Russian Hill average of 1.9.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 649 Bay St rent-controlled?

San Francisco's Rent Ordinance caps rent increases and provides eviction protection for most residential units built before 1979 with 2+ units. Here's how this building scores.

Built before 1979
Built 1962
2 or more units
6 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH3
Likely rent-controlled. Building age and unit count suggest this property falls under San Francisco's Rent Ordinance.

Based on SF Assessor records. Not legal advice — confirm with the SF Rent Board.

Statewide backstop · AB 1482

California Tenant Protection Act of 2019

Even when a building isn't covered by local rent stabilization, the statewide Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) may still apply. It caps annual rent increases and requires the landlord to state a legal reason to end most tenancies.

15+ years since occupancy
Built 1962
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
Local rent control likely takes priority. This building appears to fall under the local ordinance above, which is stronger than AB 1482. Where a local just-cause ordinance applies, its rules govern instead of the state cap.

AB 1482 does not apply to single-family homes and condos unless owned by a corporation, REIT, or an LLC with a corporate member; to owner-occupied duplexes; or to deed-restricted affordable housing. The Act is in effect until January 1, 2030. Not legal advice — see the California landlord–tenant guide.

Building characteristics
Units6
Floors3
Year built1962
Total area7,437 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0044011
Ownership

Registered owner per SF Assessor-Recorder (secured roll).

Mailing address
Chen Pauline M Trustee 49 Warren Dr San Francisco CA 94131
Last sale
—

Landlord portfolio

Other SF properties this owner holds, with a risk rating for each.

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

This three-story, six-unit multi-family residential building located at 649 Bay Street in Russian Hill was built in 1962 and has undergone several significant improvements over the years. The most substantial recent work was a completed seismic soft-story upgrade in 2017 costing $95,000, which brought the building into compliance with important safety standards. Regular maintenance has been demonstrated through various building permits, including reroofing work in 2008 and 1991, and street space permits in 2010 and 2017.

The building has experienced several infrastructure issues recently, particularly with sewer systems, as evidenced by four sewage backup incidents between October 2023 and January 2024 involving the 4-inch sewer vent. There were also two sidewalk-related issues reported in April 2023, though inspections found no problems. Historical records show a cluster of violations in 2006 related to fire safety and gas utility systems, including malfunctioning emergency exit lights, fire door issues, and gas meter requirements, though all these violations were promptly addressed and abated by July 2006. The building has maintained regular housing inspections (2000, 2004, 2006, and 2008), indicating ongoing oversight by housing authorities. While there have been miscellaneous issues reported through 311 calls, such as graffiti, illegal postings, and human/animal waste on the street, these appear to be more related to the building's urban environment rather than structural or maintenance concerns.

AI-generated · may contain errors · check the source data tables below

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Risk rating

How 649 Bay St's risk score is calculated

We trained a model on 7 years of SF DBI inspection data — notice of violation filings, complaint history, and owner track records. It estimates the probability that DBI inspectors will issue a Notice of Violation at this address in the next 12 months. Lower % = safer.

What the score means for you

Lower risk — safer than most nearby

DBI rarely finds violations here. Strong maintenance history and a clean complaint record.

Typical — about average for the neighborhood

Some past violations or complaints on record. Worth asking the landlord about any open issues before signing.

Higher risk — riskier than most nearby

Elevated violation and complaint history. DBI has found issues here before and is statistically likely to again.

Neighborhood percentile
24thpercentile

Out of 1133 buildings in this neighborhood, 861 are predicted to be safer. The band is relative to this neighborhood, so a share of every neighborhood falls in each colour.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
52%
No DBI
violation
48%
DBI violation
likely
Model explanation

What's driving this score

The three data points that most influenced this building's risk rating — ranked by the weight the model placed on each one.

Number of units

The number of units affects how the model reads complaint and violation totals — more units means more potential sources.

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 48%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

649 Bay St apartment reviews

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On the map

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8 found
The story over time

649 Bay St event timeline

Violations, complaints, fire incidents, permits, and buyouts — most recent records in order.

2025
Electrical Permit Jan 28
Replace electrical meter and main. (6 units and 1 house)
Complete

See all 6 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 649 Bay St apartments

13 SF public datasets for this parcel — permits, violations, complaints, fire records, 311 calls, planning records, and buyouts.

Side by side

How 649 Bay St compares to the neighborhood

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