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1215-1217 Broadway

Nob Hill, SF 94109 0155050 2 units · 2 fl · 1908

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. A handful of unresolved issues. Worth a careful walk-through and pointed questions.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Nob Hill
At or below average
avg 2.4
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Nob Hill average of 2.4.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1215-1217 Broadway 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
2 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
Units2
Floors2
Year built1908
Total area1,940 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0155050
Ownership

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

Owner name
John E Wai 1981 Lvg Tr
Mailing address
Wai John E Ttee 1333 Jones St Unit 1101 San Francisco CA 94109
Last sale
042020

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.

1217 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94109
1215 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94109
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-unit, two-story residential building at 1215-1217 Broadway in Nob Hill, constructed in 1908, has experienced numerous maintenance and safety issues over the past decade, with the most pressing concerns centering around its electrical system. Most recently, in 2023 and 2022, there were complaints about deteriorating outdoor knob and tube wiring that reportedly caused small fires, though these complaints were marked as not active. Between 2015 and 2020, the building underwent significant repairs following multiple violations, including water heater issues (vent connector and seismic strapping problems), shower enclosure maintenance, and various electrical violations. In 2018, a complaint revealed multiple issues including non-functional light fixtures, electrical problems, inadequate security, safety concerns regarding smoke detectors, water temperature problems, and potential mold from water damage. The building's maintenance history shows some positive developments, including a $15,000 roof replacement completed in 2017 and the installation of earthquake straps for water heaters in 2015.

The property has faced several challenges over the years, including a rodent infestation in 2015, various plumbing and electrical system violations, and concerns about interior surface damage. While many of the building violations from 2015 were officially abated by February 2020, including issues with water temperatures, wall and ceiling repairs, and light fixtures, the recurrence of electrical problems in recent years raises ongoing safety concerns. Historical complaints from 1995 noted various maintenance issues including exposed electrical wiring, plumbing problems, and window/door functionality concerns. The building's exterior has also encountered some issues, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls in 2024 regarding garbage, debris, and illegal parking in the vicinity.

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

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Risk rating

How 1215-1217 Broadway'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
36th percentile

Out of 1125 buildings in this neighborhood, 720 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
48%
No DBI
violation
52%
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.

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 43.1%
Moderate concern 45.7%
Severe concern 11.3%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
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The story over time

1215-1217 Broadway event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Nov 03
Garbage and debris
furniture
311 RequestJul 15
Garbage and debris

See all 8 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1215-1217 Broadway 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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