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37 Varennes St

Telegraph Hill, SF 94133 0115029 3 units · 3 fl · 1908

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years, and our model puts it at a low risk of maintenance problems over the next 12 months. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Telegraph Hill — not a forecast
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 37 Varennes 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
3 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 1908
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
Units3
Floors3
Year built1908
Total area2,160 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot0115029
Ownership

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

Mailing address
137 Varennes St San Francisco CA 94133
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit multi-family residential building at 37 Varennes Street in Telegraph Hill, owned by Woo Shiu Nam & Gefon, was constructed in 1908 and is classified as a Flats & Duplex structure with three stories. The building's most significant recorded issue occurred in May 2005 when a routine housing inspection revealed multiple safety concerns, including problems with fire escape drop ladders, smoke detection systems, and emergency exits, as well as a requirement to repair a wood post. All these violations were addressed and officially abated by August 8, 2005.

In recent years, the property has experienced various neighborhood-related incidents primarily documented through 311 calls. In 2021, there were multiple reports regarding scooters, human or animal waste on the street, and a notable incident involving noise from an unauthorized outdoor entertainment event (a back patio salsa class) that led to City enforcement and educational outreach to management about permitting requirements. The most recent interaction with city services was a parking enforcement call in June 2023. The building itself has had no recorded violations or complaints since the 2005 inspection, indicating no ongoing structural or safety issues have been documented over the past 18 years, though there have been multiple routine scooter-oriented service requests in 2021 and 2022.

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

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Risk rating

How 37 Varennes 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
48thpercentile

Out of 684 buildings in this neighborhood, 356 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
86%
No DBI
violation
14%
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.

Building age

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

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

Building permits, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 14%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

37 Varennes St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

37 Varennes St event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Dec 13
Other illegal parking
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestMay 10
Garbage and debris

See all 4 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 37 Varennes St apartments

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

Side by side

How 37 Varennes St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Telegraph Hill. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

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

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