Free SF apartment background check

120 Trenton St

Nob Hill, SF 94133 0179033 12 units · 3 fl · 1923

This building has far more open problems than almost any other in the neighborhood. Renters here report frequent, slow-to-fix problems. Get repair promises in writing and check the unit before signing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Nob Hill
Above average
avg 2.4
14
FewerMore

This building has 14 novs (7y), above the Nob Hill average of 2.4.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 120 Trenton 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 1923
2 or more units
12 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.

Building characteristics
Units12
Floors3
Year built1923
Total area7,950 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0179033
Ownership

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

Owner name
Chinatown Properties Llc
Mailing address
1859 29th Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
091817

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 12-unit, 3-story multi-family residential building at 120 Trenton St in Nob Hill, owned by Chinatown Properties LLC, has a significant history of maintenance and safety issues since its construction in 1923. Most recently, in October 2023, there was a fire safety violation issued regarding exit maintenance, though this was resolved within days. The building has undergone several major improvements over the past decade, including the installation of a comprehensive fire sprinkler system in 2015-2016 (costing over $50,000 total) and a reroofing project in 2019 costing $14,000. There have been recurring fire safety concerns, with multiple violations for extinguishers (2018, 2021, 2023), alarm systems (2008, 2018), and blocked exits (2006). The building experienced significant maintenance issues in 2016-2019, including problems with heating systems, plumbing, and electrical systems, though many of these issues appear to have been addressed through subsequent repairs and upgrades.

Historical documents reveal a pattern of electrical and safety concerns, particularly in the 2010-2016 period, including multiple complaints about electrical shutdowns, safety hazards in units 6 and 7 (2014), and multiple fire safety violations. The building underwent substantial renovation in 2013-2014, including basement improvements and unit reconfigurations valued at over $180,000, along with extensive electrical work including the installation of a 400-amp service panel. Earlier maintenance history shows instances of water heater replacement, bathroom renovations, and various code compliance upgrades dating back to the 1980s. The property has had one documented case of illegal short-term rentals (2019) involving multiple units, though this situation was investigated and addressed. Recent maintenance issues reported through 311 calls have primarily related to building exterior conditions and general sanitation matters rather than internal systems, suggesting some improvement in recent years.

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

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Risk rating

How 120 Trenton 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
6th percentile

Out of 1125 buildings in this neighborhood, 1058 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
17%
No DBI
violation
83%
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.

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

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 11.9%
Moderate concern 33.0%
Severe concern 55.1%
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

120 Trenton St event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint Jun 18
Window sash broken
Housing Inspection Services
DBI ComplaintMay 28
Date last observed: 27-may-26; time last observed: 8:00 am; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling illegal unit; ; additional information: illegal units built in basement. water heater in hallways. unmarked emergency exits with no lighting in the basement. the emergency exits to the front and back of the building in the basement is deadbolted shut. fire escape balconies are used as storage spaces.

See all 16 events

Full history back to 2019 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 120 Trenton 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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