Free SF apartment background check

765 Ofarrell St

Tenderloin, SF 94109 0321032 31 units · 4 fl · 1924

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 Tenderloin
Above average
avg 12.0
14
FewerMore

This building has 14 novs (7y), above the Tenderloin average of 12.0.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 765 Ofarrell 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 1924
2 or more units
31 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.

Building characteristics
Units31
Floors4
Year built1924
Total area16,768 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0321032
Ownership

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

Owner name
John E Wai 1981 Lvg Tr
Mailing address
John E Wai, Ttee 1333 Jones St Unit 1101 San Francisco CA 94109
Last sale
101597

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 31-unit, 4-story apartment building at 765 O'Farrell Street, owned by John E Wai 1981 Lvg Tr, was constructed in 1924 and has undergone numerous renovations and faced several significant issues over recent years. Most notably, there are active concerns from 2023-2024 regarding spalling decorative elements on the street facade that may be potentially unsafe, and recent complaints about retaining wall issues in the back lot. The building has experienced recurring fire safety system problems, with multiple fire alarm system modifications required between 2020-2021 and several fire-related violations and complaints regarding blocked exits and alarm systems in 2024 that were eventually corrected. Plumbing and hot water issues have been a persistent problem, with multiple complaints about hot water availability in 2021, and the most recent water heater replacement completed in January 2024. The building has undergone significant interior renovations since 2006, including multiple kitchen and bathroom remodels in various units, though some permits remained filed without completion status.

Recent maintenance and safety concerns include a 2023 complaint about smoking residents forcibly silencing fire alarms, and security issues with mailboxes reported in 2022. Historical records show several building violations related to lead paint, sanitation, and various interior surface problems in 2014, though these were eventually abated. The property has a documented history of false fire alarms and system malfunctions, with several incidents recorded between 2016-2023 showing no actual fires but indicating possible system reliability issues. While many earlier violations and complaints from 2007-2019 have been resolved, including issues with standpipes, sprinklers, and fire escapes, the building's recent history suggests ongoing challenges with building systems and maintenance that warrant attention.

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

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Risk rating

How 765 Ofarrell 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
62th percentile

Out of 172 buildings in this neighborhood, 65 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
14%
No DBI
violation
86%
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.

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

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.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 6.6%
Moderate concern 88.4%
Severe concern 4.9%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

765 Ofarrell St event timeline

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

2026
Fire Complaint May 20
Alarm Systems
Fire ComplaintMay 13
Sleeping Area Requirement

See all 24 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 765 Ofarrell 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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