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953-957 Union St

Russian Hill, SF 94133 0120021 3 units · 5 fl · 1907

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. A handful of unresolved issues. Worth a careful walk-through and pointed questions.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Russian Hill
At or below average
avg 1.9
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), at or below the Russian Hill average of 1.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 953-957 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
3 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
Units3
Floors5
Year built1907
Total area5,345 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot0120021
Ownership

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

Owner name
Kershner Jesse D & Styne Ma
Mailing address
955 Union St San Francisco CA 94133
Last sale
012221

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.

955 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
957 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
953 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 5-story, 3-unit multi-family residential building at 953-957 Union Street in Russian Hill was built in 1907 and is currently owned by Jesse D. Kershner and Marissa Styne. The building has undergone several significant modifications and maintenance work over the past few years, most notably in 2021-2022 when a retractable skylight was installed ($40,000) for roof maintenance, followed by modifications to the sprinkler system to accommodate roof access including the relocation and addition of sprinkler heads ($2,000). In late 2022, vent pipes were modified with weatherproof termination caps ($5,000). A notable incident occurred in July 2021 when multiple complaints were filed regarding unauthorized construction work resembling a roof terrace, which was reportedly beyond the scope of the permitted skylight installation.

The building has experienced various compliance issues requiring attention to its fire safety systems, including violations related to alarm systems and sprinklers between 2016 and 2022, though most of these have been subsequently corrected or abated. A 2022 active violation pertains to the Building Façade Inspection & Maintenance Program, while earlier issues from 2005 regarding fire extinguishers and smoke detectors were resolved. The property has undergone significant interior upgrades since 2016, including kitchen and bathroom remodels, new lighting installations, and the addition of a fireplace. Regular maintenance and safety improvements have been demonstrated through various permits, including electrical upgrades and fire safety system modifications. While there have been some building complaints and violations over the years, most have been addressed promptly, with only the most recent facade inspection issue remaining active as of 2023.

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

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Risk rating

How 953-957 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
20th percentile

Out of 1133 buildings in this neighborhood, 906 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
40%
No DBI
violation
60%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

DBI complaint rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building complaint rate across the owner's portfolio.

DBI complaints, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 35.5%
Moderate concern 54.2%
Severe concern 10.3%
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

953-957 Union St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Mar 19
Blocking driveway cite tow
Parking Enforcement

See all 17 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 953-957 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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