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1838 Larkin St

Nob Hill, SF 94109 0185024 3 units · 3 fl · 1915

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 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 1838 Larkin 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 1915
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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
Floors3
Year built1915
Total area3,020 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0185024
Ownership

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

Owner name
Andrew Fong & Betty Woo Cho
Mailing address
Betty Woo Cho Trustee 1374 21St Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
120209

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit, three-story multi-family residential building at 1838 Larkin Street in Nob Hill, owned by Andrew Fong & Betty Woo Cho, was constructed in 1915 and has undergone several significant improvements over the years. Most recently, in 2022-2023, the building received substantial electrical system upgrades, including a 200-amp single-phase overhead service installation and panel upgrades to 100-amp and 60-amp systems. A notable safety-related incident occurred in 2006 when unauthorized construction of a new rear staircase triggered a building violation, though this was resolved within a few months and the staircase was properly permitted at a cost of $5,000 to comply with code requirements.

Historical records show earlier improvements including reroofing completed in 1991, multiple street space permits, and a 2006 requirement for second exit stairs installation. The building's recent history has seen recurring issues with street cleaning and parking violations in the immediate area, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls for garbage, debris, and illegal parking between 2019 and 2024. While there were two fire department responses recorded - one for a system malfunction and another for a water/steam leak - neither incident resulted in civilian injuries. The property has maintained active compliance with building codes, with all noted violations being promptly addressed, as demonstrated by the 2006 staircase issue being resolved through proper permitting and construction.

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

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Risk rating

How 1838 Larkin 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
54th percentile

Out of 1125 buildings in this neighborhood, 518 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
66%
No DBI
violation
34%
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.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

The ZIP code captures local housing market and enforcement patterns that affect all buildings in the area.

Neighborhood location

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

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 49.2%
Moderate concern 25.4%
Severe concern 25.4%
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

1838 Larkin St event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Oct 04
Garbage and debris
human waste or urine

See all 4 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1838 Larkin 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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