Free SF apartment background check

424-428 Union St

Telegraph Hill, SF 94133 0104012 6 units · 3 fl · 1907

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Telegraph Hill
At or below average
avg 1.2
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Telegraph Hill average of 1.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 424-428 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 1907
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.

Building characteristics
Units6
Floors3
Year built1907
Total area4,560 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0104012
Ownership

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

Owner name
Liu Fmly 2012 Irrevoc Tr Fb
Mailing address
Benjamin P Liu Trustee 1470 33Rd Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
021314

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.

428 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
428 C Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
424 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story multi-family residential building at 424-428 Union Street in Telegraph Hill, built in 1907 and containing 6 units, has experienced persistent maintenance challenges over the past two decades, particularly regarding its stairwell infrastructure. Most recently, in November 2023, dry rot repair work was completed on less than 50% of the second exit stair at the back of the building, which was not visible from the street. This followed a 2019 complaint about rotten floorboards and water-related issues in the stairway that required attention. The building's maintenance history shows recurring issues with wood deterioration, as evidenced by a series of repairs including a $15,000 project in 2004 addressing stairs, deck, and window work in the back, and a $5,000 dry rot repair at rear stairs in 2001.

Recent complaints raise some concerns about the building's maintenance practices. In October 2023, there was a report about elderly workers performing construction without proper safety gear or visible permits, though this complaint was marked as not active by November 2023. More recently, in May 2024, a complaint was filed regarding wooden coverings on windows showing signs of deterioration on the building's side, with concerns about their potential to fall into a patio area. The building has also faced several regulatory challenges, with active interior surface violations from 2011 regarding damaged ceilings and reinspection access issues. While the property has undergone various maintenance and repair work over the years, these recurring issues suggest ongoing challenges with maintaining the building's structural components, particularly in terms of addressing moisture-related problems and ensuring proper safety protocols during maintenance activities.

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

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Risk rating

How 424-428 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
14th percentile

Out of 684 buildings in this neighborhood, 588 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
50%
No DBI
violation
50%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building 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 50.5%
Moderate concern 16.2%
Severe concern 33.3%
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

424-428 Union St event timeline

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

2024
DBI Complaint May 30
Date last observed: 29-may-24; time last observed: 6:30am; identity of person performing the work: n/a; floor: 2nd; unit: ride side ; exact location: side bldg; building type: residence/dwelling dilapidated structure; structural problems; other building; other housing; ; additional information: the windows have wooden pieces nailed over them and one of the windows wooden pieces on the side of the building in the back is partially broken (at one point it was only being held by 2 nails and now it is only being held by one nail and could fall into a patio area where people could be);
Housing Inspection Services

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2019 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 424-428 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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