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549-551 Chestnut St

North Beach, SF 94133 0064028 5 units · 2 fl · 1926

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 549-551 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 1926
2 or more units
5 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM2
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
Units5
Floors2
Year built1926
Total area5,635 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot0064028
Ownership

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

Owner name
Flack James Bardin
Mailing address
549 Chestnut St San Francisco CA 94133
Last sale
121918

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.

549 Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94133
551 C Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94133
551 Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Augrented Insights
AI summary

The two-story, five-unit multi-family residential building at 549-551 Chestnut Street, owned by James Bardin Flack, has undergone significant improvements since its construction in 1926, with major renovations occurring in 2017. The building received comprehensive window upgrades in 2017, including the installation of 26 new off-street windows and the replacement of all front-facing windows with aluminum-clad wood fixtures, costing approximately $104,000. That same year, substantial interior improvements were made, including kitchen and bathroom remodels, electrical rewiring throughout various areas, and the installation of a new high-efficiency furnace, totaling over $150,000. The building's safety systems have been addressed through multiple inspections and corrections, with violations related to fire safety and gas utility requirements documented in 2015 and 2006, though all were subsequently abated.

The property has maintained an active maintenance record, with recent updates including a 30-amp circuit installation for an AC unit in 2020 and previous electrical system upgrades in 2012 that established a 200-amp service with six sub-panels. Historical records show earlier structural maintenance work, including stairway reconstruction in 1999 and reroofing in 1993. The building has experienced three smoke or odor removal incidents and several alarm system activations, though none resulted in civilian injuries or confirmed fires. A tenant buyout occurred in May 2017 involving two tenants, with a compensation amount of $17,500. Recent 311 calls in 2024 have primarily concerned street parking issues and public space cleaning, which are typical urban neighborhood occurrences and not directly related to building conditions.

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Risk rating

How 549-551 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
45th percentile

Out of 362 buildings in this neighborhood, 199 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
72%
No DBI
violation
28%
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.

Owner's portfolio size

Number of SF parcels this owner is registered on — larger portfolios have distinct risk patterns.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 47.8%
Moderate concern 13.5%
Severe concern 38.7%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

549-551 Chestnut St event timeline

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

2020
Electrical Permit Sep 30
30 amp circuit for ac unit
Complete

See all 1 events

Full history back to 2020 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 549-551 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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