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789 Clay St

Financial District North, SF 94108 0226040 15 units · 3 fl · 1907

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model predicts a high risk of further maintenance problems 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 Financial District North — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 3.2
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Financial District North average of 3.2.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 789 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
15 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
CVR
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
Units15
Floors3
Year built1907
Total area8,772 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0226040
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Louie Betty 667 Grant Ave San Francisco CA 94108
Last sale
May 05, 2000

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.

748 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
744 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
789 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108
756 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
752 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
754 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
750 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
742 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
746 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 15-unit multi-family residential building at 789 Clay Street, owned by 742 Grant LLC, is a 3-story structure built in 1907 located in the Financial District North. The property has undergone several significant improvements and faced various challenges over the years, with the most pressing recent concerns relating to safety systems. There have been multiple fire safety violations and complaints between 2021 and 2024, including issues with alarm systems, extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and blocked exits, though most have been marked as corrected or abated. In 2023, there was a burst supply line issue requiring immediate plumbing repairs, and more recently in 2024, there were complaints about inadequate common area maintenance, broken lighting in staircases, security concerns, and problems with recycling disposal.

The building's history shows a pattern of maintenance and improvement work, including recent accessibility upgrades in 2023, roof replacement in 2013, and the conversion of ground floor space into a café in 2019. Several building violations from 2003-2005 regarding fire safety, security, and sanitation were addressed, and there appear to have been ongoing challenges with building systems and common area maintenance. Recent 311 calls indicate continued issues with refuse management around the property. Notably, there were multiple fire escape-related complaints in 2017 regarding the escape's functionality and access, which were particularly concerning from a safety standpoint. While many historical violations and complaints have been resolved, the frequency of recent fire safety issues and maintenance concerns suggests ongoing challenges with building systems and management.

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

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Risk rating

How 789 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
29thpercentile

Out of 145 buildings in this neighborhood, 103 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
18%
No DBI
violation
82%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 82%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

789 Clay St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

789 Clay St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request May 28
Not offensive
signal box
Fire ComplaintMay 06
Extinguishers

See all 23 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 789 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 789 Clay St 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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