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634 Powell St

Downtown, SF 94108 0272012 34 units · 3 fl · 1912

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 Downtown — not a forecast
Above average
avg 6.9
62
FewerMore

This building has 62 novs (7y), above the Downtown average of 6.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 634 Powell 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 1912
2 or more units
34 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM4
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 1912
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
Units34
Floors3
Year built1912
Total area19,400 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0272012
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Steven C. Thrower 1 Bush St Ste 900 San Francisco CA 94104
Last sale
September 30, 2016

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

634 Powell Street is a 34-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1912, currently owned by 634 Powell 15 LLC. The property has undergone significant recent renovations, with the most recent work completed in December 2023 involving new flooring and cabinet work in Unit 35. Between 2021-2022, several units received substantial upgrades including kitchen and bathroom renovations, washer/dryer installations, and electrical rewiring. However, the building has experienced multiple concerning issues in recent months (2023-2024), including problems with heating (December 2023), elevator malfunction (January 2024), mice infestation reports (January 2024), and construction noise complaints. There are also ongoing concerns about a cement beam on the southern side of the building, which was reported in August 2023 and remains an active issue as of October 2024. The building has a history of fire safety violations, particularly in 2005 and 2022, related to fire alarms, escape routes, and system maintenance, though these were subsequently corrected. The property experienced significant management violations in 2013-2015 regarding security and pest control, and there were multiple complaints filed in 2020 regarding unpermitted plumbing work in Unit 29, which was subsequently addressed. The building's maintenance history shows regular updates and improvements, but recent complaints suggest ongoing challenges with building systems and pest control.

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

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Risk rating

How 634 Powell 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
10thpercentile

Out of 448 buildings in this neighborhood, 403 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
7%
No DBI
violation
93%
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.

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.

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 93%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

634 Powell St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

634 Powell St event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint Jun 09
Single family residence at 2199 revere has debris/trash overflowing from property onto sidewalk and creating dangerous passing especially for willie brown jr kids who must cross the street at a dangerous intersection because sidewalk is impossible or seems dangerous. trash is everywhere. (311 sr 101004211905)
Code Enforcement Section
Building Violation (NOV)Jun 05
Building violation

See all 32 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 634 Powell St apartments

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

Side by side

How 634 Powell 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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