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2 Old Chinatown Ln

Financial District North, SF 94108 0193017 31 units · 4 fl · 1907

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, and our model predicts continuing maintenance failures over the next 12 months. Read the records below before you sign. Ask which issues were resolved, get repair commitments in writing, and inspect the unit yourself.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Financial District North — not a forecast
Above average
avg 3.2
27
FewerMore

This building has 27 novs (7y), above the Financial District North average of 3.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 2 Old Chinatown Ln 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
31 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 1907
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
Units31
Floors4
Year built1907
Total area34,288 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0193017
Ownership

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

Mailing address
140 Ellis St San Francisco CA 94102
Last sale
October 31, 2014

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.

29 Ross Aly, San Francisco, CA 94108
852 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94108
854 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94108
19 Ross Aly, San Francisco, CA 94108
864 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94108
25 Ross Aly, San Francisco, CA 94108
858 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94108
2 Old Chinatown Ln, San Francisco, CA 94108
17 Ross Aly, San Francisco, CA 94108
860 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94108
27 Ross Aly, San Francisco, CA 94108
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The four-story, 31-unit building at 2 Old Chinatown Lane in the Financial District North, owned by Chl International Associate, has experienced numerous compliance and safety issues over recent years. Most notably, there are several active violations as of 2026, including unauthorized modifications to the awning and sign, while it was previously classified as a nuisance property in January 2026. The building has faced recurring challenges with its commercial storefront, including multiple violations regarding compliance with the vacant store ordinance in 2025-2026, and there are ongoing complaints about unsafe stairs leading to the store. Recent tenant improvements in 2026 converted the space from a jewelry shop to a hair salon, including various upgrades such as ADA accessibility features. The property has a documented history of maintenance and safety concerns, with 26 Notices of Violation (NOVs) issued over the past seven years, though many earlier violations from 2026-2025 have been resolved. There have been two concerning sanitation incidents reported in 2025 involving garbage, with one case including human waste or urine that was determined to require no work. Recent building improvements include a completed fire alarm system upgrade in 2021 and various repairs to common areas, including window-related violations requiring attention in 2026. The property has experienced a significant number of service interactions with the Department of Building Inspection, including three Director Hearings and a notable number of 311 service requests, totaling 117 over the past seven years, indicating ongoing engagement with city services for various building-related issues.

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

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Risk rating

How 2 Old Chinatown Ln'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
3rdpercentile

Out of 145 buildings in this neighborhood, 141 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
10%
No DBI
violation
90%
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.

Notices of Violation (past 7 years)

DBI issued Notices of Violation at this address over the last 7 years — a direct record of code enforcement activity.

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 90%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

2 Old Chinatown Ln apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

2 Old Chinatown Ln event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 28
Public utilities commission
billing customer callback
DBI ComplaintJul 21
Vacant storefront

See all 31 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 2 Old Chinatown Ln apartments

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

Side by side

How 2 Old Chinatown Ln compares to the neighborhood

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Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

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