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820 Clay St

Financial District North, SF 94108 0210009 7 units · 3 fl · 1907

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, and our model sees a moderate chance of more in 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
18
FewerMore

This building has 18 novs (7y), above the Financial District North average of 3.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 820 Clay 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 1907
2 or more units
7 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
Units7
Floors3
Year built1907
Total area3,774 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0210009
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Chiu Song Yee & Elaine Ttee 251 Maynard St San Francisco CA 94112
Last sale
December 10, 2004

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

820 Clay Street is a 3-story, multi-family residential building constructed in 1907, housing 7 units and currently owned by Song Yee & Elaine Chiu Revocable Trust. The property has undergone several significant safety upgrades in recent years, including a comprehensive fire alarm system upgrade in 2023 valued at $10,000, which included the installation of new smoke detectors, manual pull stations, and horn strobes throughout residential sleeping areas. Importantly, the building has experienced recurring fire safety issues, with violations documented between 2017-2024 related to extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and alarm systems, though most have been subsequently corrected.

The building recently faced multiple violations in September 2024 during a routine inspection, including issues with plumbing fixtures, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and lead paint hazards, all of which were documented as abated by January 2025. Historical improvements include a seismic upgrade completed in 2000 (costing $65,000) and reroofing work in 2001. The property has experienced recurrent maintenance issues over the years, with a notable pattern of plumbing and safety-related complaints. Recent 311 calls from late 2024 and early 2025 primarily concerned exterior garbage and debris, though these were relatively minor and promptly addressed. The building also had a brief period requiring awning legalization in 2024, though this was successfully completed under the awning amnesty program. While the building has maintained basic requirements through various permit completions, the frequency of fire safety violations and recent inspection violations suggests ongoing compliance management challenges.

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

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Risk rating

How 820 Clay 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
47thpercentile

Out of 145 buildings in this neighborhood, 77 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
51%
No DBI
violation
49%
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.

Neighborhood location

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

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

Dollar value of permits pulled at this address — large recent spend can signal deferred-maintenance catch-up.

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 49%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

820 Clay St apartment reviews

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On the map

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Buildings nearby
8 found
The story over time

820 Clay St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jun 19
Garbage and debris
other loose garbage debris yard waste

See all 22 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 820 Clay St apartments

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

Side by side

How 820 Clay St compares to the neighborhood

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