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1655-1661 Powell St

North Beach, SF 94133 0118002 5 units · 3 fl · 1908

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 1655-1661 Powell 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
NBEACH
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 area5,661 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0118002
Ownership

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

Owner name
Hsu Family Trust
Mailing address
Robert & Sharon Chang Hsu T 5702 W Cog Hill Ter Dublin CA 94568
Last sale
092917

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.

1661 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133
1655 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133
1659 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133
1657 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 1655-1661 Powell Street is a three-story, multi-family residential building constructed in 1908, containing 5 units and currently owned by the Hsu Family Trust. The building has undergone several significant transformations and faced multiple regulatory challenges over the years. Most notably, in 2018, a temporary liquor store (Coit Liquors) was allowed to occupy part of the ground floor retail space, replacing a previously fire-damaged liquor store, with work estimated at $50,000. In 2016-2017, the building addressed multiple housing code violations including fire safety requirements, security improvements, and the installation of gas meter instructions, all of which were abated by April 2017. A concerning pattern emerged in 2022, when complaints were filed regarding unpermitted modifications including roll-down metal doors and unauthorized sign changes, as well as a potentially active health referral for a massage establishment from 2012.

The building's maintenance history shows regular upkeep and upgrades, including electrical system improvements in 2005-2007 (including service upgrades and repairs), multiple street space permits, and various retail space modifications. There are two active code enforcement cases from 2004 and 2012 regarding unauthorized use as a health spa and an illegal food establishment that may require further investigation. The property has experienced recurring issues with security and safety compliance, though the owner has consistently worked to address violations when cited. Recent observations show ongoing street-level maintenance challenges in the surrounding area, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls regarding garbage, debris, and street defects in 2022-2024, though these are external to the building itself.

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

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Risk rating

How 1655-1661 Powell 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
40th percentile

Out of 362 buildings in this neighborhood, 217 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
67%
No DBI
violation
33%
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.

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 50.5%
Moderate concern 28.6%
Severe concern 20.9%
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

1655-1661 Powell St event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Dec 26
Not offensive
building commercial
311 RequestAug 30
Parking on sidewalk

See all 8 events

Full history back to 2022 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 1655-1661 Powell 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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