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540 Leavenworth St

Downtown, SF 94102 0318016 44 units · 5 fl · 1914

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 Downtown
Above average
avg 6.9
8
FewerMore

This building has 8 novs (7y), above the Downtown average of 6.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 540 Leavenworth 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 1914
2 or more units
44 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 1914
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
Units44
Floors5
Year built1914
Total area21,175 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0318016
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Steven C. Thrower 1 Bush St Ste 900 San Francisco CA 94104
Last sale
060118

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

540 Leavenworth Street is a 5-story, 44-unit multi-family residential building built in 1914, currently owned by 540 Leavenworth LLC. The building has undergone several significant upgrades and maintenance work over the past decade, including fire safety improvements, plumbing updates, and electrical system modifications. Most notably, in 2024, the building is undergoing a fire alarm system upgrade to meet current codes and install low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas, following multiple fire safety violations in 2023 related to alarm systems, sprinkler systems, and UL certification. The building has experienced recurring water heater issues, with multiple units requiring heating system replacements between 2022-2023, including a tankless water heater repair in Unit 404 in 2023. Other improvements include the installation of 44 water meters in 2016, comprehensive electrical upgrades including individual unit panel installations in 2014, and the addition of a roof deck for tenant use in 2015.

Recent complaints and violations indicate ongoing maintenance challenges, particularly regarding building systems and resident comforts. In 2023-2024, there have been multiple violations related to fire safety systems that required attention, though some have been abated. There have also been recent concerns about utility systems, including electrical issues in Unit 204 and water heater problems affecting multiple units. The building previously experienced infrastructure issues in the early 2000s, with violations related to fire safety equipment and interior surfaces, though these were resolved. A tenant buyout occurred in 2015, and the property has been subject to multiple street cleaning and maintenance calls, particularly regarding waste management, in the 2023-2024 period, though these are primarily related to the exterior of the building.

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

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Risk rating

How 540 Leavenworth 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
4th percentile

Out of 448 buildings in this neighborhood, 430 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.

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 4.4%
Moderate concern 66.6%
Severe concern 29.0%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

540 Leavenworth St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

540 Leavenworth St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request May 25
Flooding
on property
311 RequestMay 17
Sewer odor

See all 27 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 540 Leavenworth 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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