Free SF apartment background check

721 Geary St

Downtown, SF 94109 0319027 28 units · 5 fl · 1922

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. 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
At or below average
avg 6.9
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Downtown average of 6.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 721 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 1922
2 or more units
28 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
Units28
Floors5
Year built1922
Total area19,844 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0319027
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
091417

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

721 Geary Street is a 28-unit, 5-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1922 and currently owned by 721 Geary I5 LLC. The building has undergone significant maintenance and modernization over the past several years, with the most recent major project being facade repairs initiated in October 2024, including concrete repairs, coating maintenance, and securing of exterior elements. The building has maintained an active program of unit improvements, with multiple recent renovations completed between 2017-2022 in various units (10, 11, 12, 16, and 25) including kitchen and bathroom rehabilitations, washer/dryer installations, and general modernizations.

The property has experienced recurring issues with its fire safety systems, as evidenced by multiple fire violations and complaints between 2023-2024 regarding sprinkler systems, standpipes, and alarm systems, though many of these have been marked as abated. There have been periodic elevator malfunction incidents requiring assistance (most recently in 2025), and some historical boiler permit renewal issues that were resolved in 2017. A recent tenant complaint from May 2024 regarding inconsistent heating control was recorded, suggesting potential ongoing challenges with building systems. The building's exterior area has been the subject of multiple 311 calls throughout 2023-2024, mainly related to street cleaning and maintenance issues, which while not directly affecting residents, indicate ongoing challenges with the building's immediate surroundings. The most recent building permits and violations suggest active management of the property, though the frequency of fire safety issues and recent heating complaints may raise concerns about system reliability and maintenance.

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

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Risk rating

How 721 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
30th percentile

Out of 448 buildings in this neighborhood, 314 are predicted to be safer.

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.

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 8.7%
Moderate concern 64.8%
Severe concern 26.5%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

721 Geary St apartment reviews

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The story over time

721 Geary St event timeline

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

2025
Building Permit Dec 08
5th fl unit 24 existing window: infill with 6" fully grouted concrete masonry units. reinforce masonry infill with #4 bars as required for anchorage. apply parge coat to exterior surface and paint to match existing. finish interior surface with gypsum board to match existing.
$24,800 · Complete
Planning RecordDec 08
Infill one window opening at west property line, patchwork will match existing wall material and color. No other exterior work under this permit.

See all 24 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 721 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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Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

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