Free SF apartment background check

401 Chestnut St

North Beach, SF 94133 0063001 6 units · 3 fl · 1906

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in North Beach
At or below average
avg 2.1
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the North Beach average of 2.1.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 401 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 1906
2 or more units
6 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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.

Building characteristics
Units6
Floors3
Year built1906
Total area5,778 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0063001
Ownership

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

Owner name
Benjamin & Loretta H F Tong
Mailing address
5 Meadowlands Court Orinda CA 94563
Last sale
052096

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

1961 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133
1959 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133
1957 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133
401 Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 401 Chestnut Street in North Beach is a 3-story, 6-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1906, currently owned by Benjamin & Loretta H F Tong. The building has undergone several significant maintenance and improvement projects over the past two decades, with the most substantial recent work occurring in 2014, when the ceiling sheetrock was replaced due to water damage, water heaters were replaced, and kitchen rewiring was completed, totaling over $6,000 in improvements. The building has been subject to routine housing inspections, with several violations noted and subsequently corrected between 2004 and 2015, including issues with doors, drainage pipes, fire safety equipment, and smoke detection systems. Notable incidents include a roof remodeling complaint in 2003 and multiple documented maintenance concerns regarding door functionality and stair cleanliness between 2004-2007.

Recent activity at the property includes multiple parking enforcement calls in mid-2024, though most could not be validated by responding officers. In late 2023, there was an issue with graffiti on the mailbox. The building's planning records show two significant approvals: an AT&T mobility equipment installation on a nearby light pole, and a lower-level kitchen remodel project approved in 2022. While many historical violations and complaints have been properly addressed, the frequency of parking-related complaints and recent maintenance history should be noted. The building's systems have received periodic upgrades, though some documentation shows permits as expired, such as a 2001 reroofing permit, which may require validation against current roofing conditions.

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

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Risk rating

How 401 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

Grade A–B — Low risk

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

Grade C — Moderate risk

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

Grade D–F — High risk

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

Neighborhood percentile
41th percentile

Out of 362 buildings in this neighborhood, 214 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
68%
No DBI
violation
32%
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 permits, owner's portfolio

Permits pulled across all of this owner's buildings over 7 years.

Building age

Older buildings tend to have more maintenance challenges; SF's pre-1906 earthquake housing stock carries distinct risk.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 43.8%
Moderate concern 12.0%
Severe concern 44.2%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
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The story over time

401 Chestnut St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Mar 10
Blocking driveway cite tow
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestMar 05
Garbage and debris

See all 4 events

Full history back to 2024 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 401 Chestnut St apartments

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

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

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