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550-552 Grant Ave

Financial District North, SF 94108 0258019 2 units · 3 fl · 1921

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 Financial District North
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.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 550-552 Grant Ave 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 1921
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
CCB
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
Units2
Floors3
Year built1921
Total area2,950 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0258019
Ownership

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

Owner name
Yit Ngan & See Wah Wong Kwo
Mailing address
Winnie Hung 25012 Nellie Gail Rd Laguna Hills CA 92653
Last sale
091919

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

550 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
552 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story, two-unit multi-family residential building at 550-552 Grant Avenue, owned by Yit Ngan & See Wah Wong Kwo and constructed in 1921, has undergone several significant improvements and faced some concerning safety issues over the years. The building has demonstrated a commitment to safety upgrades, completing seismic retrofits in 2001 and 2002 (costing $92,000 combined), reroofing in 1998, and complying with parapet ordinances in 1985. More recent improvements include a 2012 remodel of the ground floor from a gift store to a tea sales store (costing $40,000), followed by additional modifications in 2015-2016 adding kitchen facilities and electrical upgrades. However, there have been serious safety concerns, particularly regarding the fire escape system. In 2017, a complaint was filed about an unsafe fire escape with a fixed ladder ending above a vinyl awning about 12 feet from the ground, leading to a fire code violation being issued. The building also has an outstanding issue from 2022 regarding unpermitted installation of metal roll-down gates, which is currently pending review by planning authorities.

Recent maintenance and neighborhood conditions around the building have shown persistent challenges, with multiple 311 calls in 2024 reporting issues with waste and debris in the vicinity. The property has maintained its basic structural and safety requirements, as evidenced by the completion of various building, plumbing, and electrical permits over the years. The most recent building permits have generally been for commercial space improvements rather than residential unit modifications, suggesting the ground floor's primarily commercial use has been maintained. While the building has a history of addressing major structural concerns through permits and improvements, the 2017 fire escape issues and 2022 unpermitted modifications indicate some areas where building modifications may not have followed proper protocols, though these appear to be the exceptions rather than the rule.

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

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Risk rating

How 550-552 Grant Ave'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
52th percentile

Out of 145 buildings in this neighborhood, 70 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
59%
No DBI
violation
41%
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.

Property class: apartment building

Apartment building — this property classification influences expected violation rates.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

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 42.2%
Moderate concern 53.2%
Severe concern 4.6%
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

550-552 Grant Ave event timeline

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

2026
Building Permit Jan 23
Metal roll-down gate, installed before 2023, with motor. (streamlined building permitting for existing security gates)
$1,500 · Complete
Planning RecordJan 23
Approved metal roll down gate - installed prior to 2023 - verified by Goole street view - Approved per 187.3 - (b) Controls. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, an Awning, Gate, or Business Sign physically existing on or serving a non-Residential business on August 20, 2023 may be considered an existing noncomplying structure and/or nonconforming use governed by this Article 1.7 so long as the Sign, Gate, or Awning is not affixed to a building designated as significant or contributory under Article 11 of this Code. In addition to the foregoing, Awnings, Gates, or Signs that have been required by the Department of Building Inspection on or after January 1, 2023 to be replaced or altered, may be replaced or altered consistent with such requirement and subsequently considered noncomplying structures and/or nonconforming uses subject to this Section 187.3 so long as such replacement or alteration does not increase the degree of nonconformity or noncompliance with other Se

See all 9 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 550-552 Grant Ave apartments

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

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