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289 Chestnut St

Telegraph Hill, SF 94133 0061021 6 units · 3 fl · 1954

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, but recent activity points to a low risk of further maintenance problems in the next 12 months. Read the records below before you sign. Ask which issues were resolved, get repair commitments in writing, and inspect the unit yourself.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Telegraph Hill — not a forecast
Above average
avg 1.2
18
FewerMore

This building has 18 novs (7y), above the Telegraph Hill average of 1.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 289 Chestnut 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 1954
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 1954
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 built1954
Total area3,588 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0061021
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Hartley Mary Kay,trustee 131 Larkspur Dr Santa Rosa CA 95409
Last sale
November 20, 2007

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The Mary Kay Hartley Family Trust owns this three-story, six-unit multi-family residential building located at 289 Chestnut Street in Telegraph Hill. Built in 1954, the property has undergone several significant safety improvements and maintenance updates over the years. Most recently, in late 2024, permits were issued for major exterior work involving the replacement of wood shingles with fiber cement siding on both the back and west walls. The building has completed its mandatory soft-story retrofit (Tier 3) as of 2016, which included reinforcement with shear walls and various structural improvements. Fire safety has been a recurring focus, with voluntary fire alarm system replacements in 2016 and 2022, including a mandatory upgrade to low-frequency horns to meet 2019 code requirements.

The building has undergone substantial improvements to its structure and systems over the years, including a complete electrical service upgrade in 2008 to 400 amps, new furnace installations in multiple units, and various individual unit renovations. There were some concerning issues in the past, including multiple violations related to fire safety and emergency systems in 2015, all of which were subsequently abated. An unsafe building complaint from 2008 regarding dirt and rock sliding into a neighboring property was addressed within a month. The property has maintained regular housing inspections, with the most recent routine inspection occurring in 2015. Although there have been several 311 calls about the general area, including tree root damage to sidewalks (2019), these are external to the building's operations.

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

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Risk rating

How 289 Chestnut 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
39thpercentile

Out of 684 buildings in this neighborhood, 417 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
84%
No DBI
violation
16%
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.

Neighborhood location

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

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

Dollar value of permits pulled at this address — large recent spend can signal deferred-maintenance catch-up.

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 16%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

289 Chestnut St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

289 Chestnut St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request May 04
Abandoned vehicle
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestMay 04
Abandoned vehicle

See all 18 events

Full history back to 2022 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 289 Chestnut St apartments

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

Side by side

How 289 Chestnut St compares to the neighborhood

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Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

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