Free SF apartment background check

550-560 Powell St

Union Square, SF 94108 0285010 29 units · 6 fl · 1911

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 Union Square — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 7.1
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Union Square average of 7.1.

This building's 90% risk is high in absolute terms; it still rates lower-risk here because buildings in Union Square generally score worse. The colour is relative to the neighborhood, the percentage is not.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 550-560 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 1911
2 or more units
29 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RC4
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 1911
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
Units29
Floors6
Year built1911
Total area17,301 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0285010
Ownership

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

Mailing address
C/o Academy Of Art Universi 79 New Montgomery St San Francisco CA 94105
Last sale
October 24, 1996

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.

550 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94108
560 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94108
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

This 6-story, 29-unit multi-family residential building located at 550-560 Powell Street in Union Square, constructed in 1911, is owned by 560 Powell Street LLC and currently houses Academy of Art University students. The property has undergone several significant infrastructure upgrades in recent years, including a major elevator replacement in 2021 ($100,000) due to a previous failure, followed by an elevator control and fire alarm system modernization ($110,000) completed in 2021-2022. The building has a documented history of fire safety concerns, with multiple violations recorded between 2018-2022, including blocked exits and various fire code violations, though most of these issues were promptly corrected upon inspection. A substantial number of building improvements and maintenance work has been carried out over the years, including plumbing upgrades (backflow preventer installation in 2010, hot water boiler installation in 2013), electrical work, and various repairs to the ground floor commercial spaces.

The building's history includes several tenant buyouts in early 2023 for units at 450 Powell Street, with buyout amounts ranging from $14,000 to $41,000 per unit. Planning records indicate a controversial conversion of 25 units to student housing for Academy of Art University, which was approved to comply with current planning codes. The property has experienced recurring issues with garbage overflow, lighting, and pavement defects in recent months, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls, though many of these are external to the building itself. The building's management has generally responded to violations and complaints in a timely manner, with most cases being resolved or abated, though there are some ongoing concerns related to noise and street maintenance based on the latest 311 reports.

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

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Risk rating

How 550-560 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
55thpercentile

Out of 38 buildings in this neighborhood, 17 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.

Building age

Older buildings tend to have more maintenance challenges; SF's pre-1906 earthquake housing stock carries distinct risk.

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

550-560 Powell St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

550-560 Powell St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Mar 11
Garbage and debris
glass
311 RequestFeb 05
Encampment

See all 21 events

Full history back to 2020 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 550-560 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 550-560 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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