Free SF apartment background check

683-699 Ofarrell St

Tenderloin, SF 94109 0322009 38 units · 4 fl · 1916

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
15
FewerMore

This building has 15 novs (7y), above the Tenderloin average of 12.0.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 683-699 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 1916
2 or more units
38 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 1916
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
Units38
Floors4
Year built1916
Total area18,800 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0322009
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
072621

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.

687 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94109
683 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94109
691 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94109
697 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94109
699 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 38-unit, 4-story apartment building at 683-699 O'Farrell Street, built in 1916, has experienced numerous maintenance and safety issues in recent years, with particularly concerning problems emerging in 2023-2024. Most notably, there have been ongoing issues with the building's fire safety systems, including an August 2024 complaint about malfunctioning fire alarm and sprinkler systems, and multiple fire violations regarding alarm system maintenance and certification continuing into 2024. The building has also faced persistent elevator problems, with documented outages in December 2023 and more recently sparking issues reported in June 2024. Other infrastructure concerns include boiler permit renewal issues in early 2024, and multiple complaints about hanging wires in the basement. The property has undergone various unit renovations between 2017-2022, including kitchen and bathroom remodels in units 105, 409, and 404, as well as fire sprinkler system upgrades in 2022.

The building's fire safety record shows a pattern of alarm system and sprinkler issues, with violations documented in 2022, 2023, and 2024, though some have been corrected. Historical violations from 2002 specifically noted problems with lead paint hazards, damaged walls, elevator maintenance, and fire escape ladders, though these were abated by April 2002. Recent improvement efforts include accessible business entrance upgrades in late 2022, involving new door operators and hardware. The property, under current ownership of 691 O'Farrell St LLC, has continued to experience maintenance challenges typical of older buildings, particularly regarding essential systems like elevators, fire safety, and HVAC. The latest complaints indicate ongoing concerns about the responsiveness of management, particularly regarding building systems maintenance and safety equipment functionality.

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

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Risk rating

How 683-699 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
53th percentile

Out of 172 buildings in this neighborhood, 81 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
11%
No DBI
violation
89%
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 5.4%
Moderate concern 75.9%
Severe concern 18.7%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

683-699 Ofarrell St apartment reviews

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The story over time

683-699 Ofarrell St event timeline

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

2026
Building Violation (NOV) Feb 23 Serious
Building violation
Restore non-working elevator to proper working condition and provide documentation showing that the state permit to operate is current.
Building Violation (NOV)Feb 23
Building violation

See all 36 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 683-699 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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