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816 Geary St

Downtown, SF 94109 0302008A 20 units · 5 fl · 1923

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. Renters here report frequent, slow-to-fix problems. Get repair promises in writing and check the unit before signing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Downtown
Above average
avg 6.9
18
FewerMore

This building has 18 novs (7y), above the Downtown average of 6.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 816 Geary 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 1923
2 or more units
20 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 1923
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
Units20
Floors5
Year built1923
Total area9,575 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0302008A
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
121718

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 20-unit, 5-story multi-family residential building at 816 Geary Street, constructed in 1923 and currently owned by 816 Geary 15 LLC, has undergone numerous maintenance and improvement projects over recent years. Most notably, significant work is currently in progress or planned for 2024-2025, including facade repairs, window maintenance, glass replacement, and the installation of a new window sills system ($55,000), along with plumbing upgrades including replacement of tankless water heaters ($4,700). The building has seen substantial unit improvements since 2017, including kitchen and bathroom rehabilitations, washer/dryer installations, and various electrical upgrades totaling over $90,000. A major proposed improvement is the addition of three ADU units in the basement, currently under review.

The property has experienced several concerning incidents and violations that required attention. Most recently, in April 2023, Unit 1 reported multiple issues including mold, deteriorated walls, damaged doors, and inoperable appliances. There were also significant maintenance issues in 2014 involving water leaks and unauthorized construction work in Unit 32, and a period in 2014 when the elevator was out of service for three months. The building's fire safety systems have required ongoing attention, with multiple fire alarm system complaints and violations documented between 2007 and 2025, though these were generally resolved promptly. Additionally, there was a cluster of building violations in 2019 relating to mold, window repairs, and appliance issues that were abated by December 2019. Recent construction and maintenance records indicate active management response to building maintenance needs, with approximately $100,000 invested in improvements between 2022 and 2024 alone, including major systems upgrades such as water heater replacements and fire safety improvements.

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

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Risk rating

How 816 Geary 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

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
19th percentile

Out of 448 buildings in this neighborhood, 363 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
9%
No DBI
violation
91%
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.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building NOV rate across everything this owner manages — high rates signal pattern neglect.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 8.3%
Moderate concern 45.9%
Severe concern 45.8%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

816 Geary St apartment reviews

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The story over time

816 Geary St event timeline

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

2026
Fire Complaint Jul 22
Sleeping Area Requirement
Violation Issued
311 RequestJul 14
Garbage and debris

See all 31 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 816 Geary St apartments

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

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