Free SF apartment background check

421 Leavenworth St

Tenderloin, SF 94102 0322002 48 units · 5 fl · 1913

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 Tenderloin
At or below average
avg 12.0
6
FewerMore

This building has 6 novs (7y), at or below the Tenderloin average of 12.0.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 421 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 1913
2 or more units
48 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
Units48
Floors5
Year built1913
Total area24,855 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusWelfare
Blocklot0322002
Ownership

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

Owner name
Tenderloin Neighborhd Dev C
Mailing address
201 Eddy St San Francisco CA 94102
Last sale
000000

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The Sierra Madre building at 421 Leavenworth St is a 5-story, 48-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1913 that has experienced several significant incidents in recent years, most notably a fire in June 2021 that caused substantial damage to the building's interior stairs from the 4th floor to the roof, rendering the building temporarily unsafe and uninhabitable. Following the fire, the building underwent various restoration efforts including a $10 million approved permit in 2023 for fire restoration, seismic upgrades, and general repairs, though there are concerns about current building conditions as evidenced by a June 2024 complaint regarding a continuously sounding smoke alarm. The building's maintenance history shows attention to fire safety systems, with the installation of sprinklers in 2015, followed by various upgrades to the fire alarm system between 2017 and 2021, including testing and reconditioning of electrical equipment due to water intrusion in 2023. However, the property has faced multiple tenant complaints over the years, including periods without heat (2019), security concerns following a break-in (2019), and several maintenance issues such as a deteriorated condition of stairs and common areas. Recent 311 calls from early 2025 indicate ongoing concerns with building cleanliness and security in the surrounding area, as evidenced by numerous encampment and debris reports.

The building's historical records show consistent efforts to maintain and upgrade critical systems, including plumbing work for fire sprinklers in 2017, various electrical upgrades in 2005-2023, and multiple building permits aimed at addressing both routine maintenance and emergency repairs. While some building violations from 2007 regarding fire safety and egress concerns were addressed, the most recent active complaint regarding the 2021 fire damage raises questions about the building's current habitability status. The property has experienced multiple fire alarm activations, though typically without resulting in significant incidents or injuries, and has undergone various fire system upgrades to improve safety. The building's historic façade has been preserved through renovation work, and recent permits indicate comprehensive rehabilitation plans that include window replacement, door upgrades, new HVAC systems, and improvements to electrical and plumbing infrastructure.

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

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Risk rating

How 421 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
11th percentile

Out of 172 buildings in this neighborhood, 153 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 4.0%
Moderate concern 87.8%
Severe concern 8.3%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

421 Leavenworth St apartment reviews

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The story over time

421 Leavenworth St event timeline

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

2026
Building Permit Jun 02
Install evacuation maps on floors 1-6.
$1,800 · Filed
Building PermitApr 22
Install (n) fence at rear west property line. no mep, facade work or in public right of way

See all 38 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 421 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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