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518-520 Taylor St

Union Square, SF 94102 0306015 43 units · 6 fl · 1922

This building has far more open problems than almost any other in the neighborhood. 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 Union Square
Above average
avg 6.9
18
FewerMore

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

Rent & eviction protection

Is 518-520 Taylor 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 1922
2 or more units
43 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 1922
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
Units43
Floors6
Year built1922
Total area25,820 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0306015
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Kiyomi Sparks 712 Bancroft Rd #122 Walnut Creek CA 94598
Last sale
052200

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.

518 Taylor St, San Francisco, CA 94102
520 Taylor St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 43-unit, 6-story residential building at 518-520 Taylor Street in Union Square, built in 1922 and currently owned by 520 Taylor Street LP, has faced ongoing maintenance and safety issues throughout 2023-2024 that warrant attention. Most concerning are recent complaints about electrical problems, with tenants reporting power outages when using space heaters and other appliances, and more recent issues with heating systems in October 2024. The building has also experienced multiple plumbing and water-related problems, including window leaks and water intrusion issues reported in late 2023 and early 2024. Structural maintenance work has been ongoing, with a front exterior steel reinforcement repair permit issued in May 2024, following previous improvements including a fire alarm system upgrade in 2020 and elevator electrical system upgrades in 2020.

The property has a documented history of fire safety violations, though many have been addressed or corrected, including issues with sprinkler systems, exit maintenance, and fire door alignments. Between April 2024 and January 2025, several fire-related complaints were filed, including issues with electrical systems and blocked exits. The building's elevator system has required attention, with multiple incidents of passengers being trapped requiring fire department assistance, though no injuries were reported. The property's maintenance history shows regular updates to systems and infrastructure, including plumbing upgrades in 2018, though some historical permits from 2008-2011 show past compliance issues that were ultimately resolved. Recent 311 calls regarding the property have primarily focused on street-level concerns such as garbage and debris, though these are more related to the building's location than its condition.

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

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Risk rating

How 518-520 Taylor 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
0th percentile

Out of 38 buildings in this neighborhood, 38 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
6%
No DBI
violation
94%
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 severity forecast
No violation 3.1%
Moderate concern 80.0%
Severe concern 16.9%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

518-520 Taylor St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

518-520 Taylor St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Mar 28
Public works
bsm request for service
311 RequestFeb 13
Garbage and debris

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 518-520 Taylor St apartments

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

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Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

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