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738-742 Union St

North Beach, SF 94133 0101007A 5 units · 3 fl · 1908

This building has more problems than most buildings in this neighborhood. 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
Above average
avg 2.1
13
FewerMore

This building has 13 novs (7y), above the North Beach average of 2.1.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 738-742 Union 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 1908
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
Floors3
Year built1908
Total area6,736 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0101007A
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mah Mark K K & Siu-Mui
Mailing address
732 Union St San Francisco CA 94133
Last sale
050100

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.

738 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
742 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
738 A Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
740 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Augrented Insights
AI summary

The three-story multi-family residential building at 738-742 Union Street in North Beach, owned by Mah Mark K K & Siu-mui, is a 5-unit structure built in 1908. The building has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years, most notably a serious plumbing problem reported in September 2023 involving badly corroded, leaking DWV piping that created health hazards and unsanitary conditions, with this violation still active as of 2024. Additional concerning issues have emerged in late 2024, including problems with the hot water heater that was reportedly leaking rusty water, sections requiring a repair or replacement notice, and various unmet safety compliance requirements including smoke and carbon monoxide alarm verifications. The building has a documented history of structural and maintenance concerns, with multiple permits issued for stairway repairs and painting work between 2005-2011 to address previous violations, including dry rot repairs in 2011.

Earlier maintenance issues included problems with peeling paint in 2006 and roof leaks in 1999. The property has undergone several routine inspections over the years, with most recent significant violations being addressed through notices of violation (NOVs) issued in late 2023, with a director hearing date scheduled for February 2025. The building's permit history shows various street space and sidewalk permits from 2006-2020, while the 311 call history reveals typical urban challenges including noise from garbage collection services and some infractions requiring city attention, such as parking violations and waste management issues on the street, which are not directly related to building conditions.

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Risk rating

How 738-742 Union 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
27th percentile

Out of 362 buildings in this neighborhood, 264 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
54%
No DBI
violation
46%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 43.3%
Moderate concern 37.3%
Severe concern 19.4%
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

738-742 Union St event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint Mar 13
Chronic leak through the wall creates biohazard conditions for a family with young kids and for other residents. (311 sr 101003667637)
Plumbing Inspection Division

See all 14 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 738-742 Union 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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