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1309-1315 Powell St

Nob Hill, SF 94133 0159006 3 units · 3 fl · 1916

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model sees a moderate chance of more in the next 12 months. A few records worth reading before you sign. Check whether they were closed out, and ask what was actually fixed.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Nob Hill — not a forecast
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 1309-1315 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 1916
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
CRNC
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 1916
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 built1916
Total area3,498 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0159006
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Milton K Low 4550 Kearny Villa Rd Ste 21 San Diego CA 92123
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

1309 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133
1315 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The Owyang Family Corporation owns this 3-unit, 3-story multi-family residential building located at 1309-1315 Powell Street in Nob Hill, constructed in 1916. The property has undergone several significant improvements over the years, with the most recent major work being the replacement of electrical panels in September 2023. The building has a mixed-use history, having converted its ground floor to commercial space in 1994 with the relocation of residential units to the second floor. Multiple roofing projects were completed in 2016, totaling approximately $30,000 in work, and a grease trap installation was performed in 2013.

The property has experienced some concerning events, particularly related to the commercial unit (formerly Mah's Dim Sum), with several complaints between 2021-2022 regarding smoke emissions affecting neighboring apartments, as well as safety concerns involving fire escape, hazardous appliances, and electrical equipment. While a fire-related maintenance issue was noted in 1986 and a fire escape complaint in 2022 was found to have "No Merit," these incidents suggest past safety concerns. The building's accessibility compliance work is ongoing, with a permit filed in December 2022 for creating a new accessible entrance. The surrounding area has experienced periodic issues with street cleanliness, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls regarding human or animal waste and loose garbage, though these are external to the building itself. Recent street cleaning requests and sidewalk maintenance issues have been documented, with the latest activity recorded in January 2025.

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

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Risk rating

How 1309-1315 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

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
43rdpercentile

Out of 1125 buildings in this neighborhood, 641 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
57%
No DBI
violation
43%
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.

Neighborhood location

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 43%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1309-1315 Powell St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1309-1315 Powell St event timeline

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

2025
DBI Complaint Aug 26
Date last observed: 25-aug-25; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling other building; ; additional information: address numbers “1309” are not 4 inches high and don’t have required stroke width as required per bc 502.1;
Building Inspection Division
DBI ComplaintAug 26
Date last observed: 25-aug-25; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling ; additional information: address numbers “1311” are not 4 inches high and don’t have required stroke width as required per bc 502.1;

See all 11 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1309-1315 Powell St apartments

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

Side by side

How 1309-1315 Powell St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Nob 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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