Free SF apartment background check

545 Ofarrell St

Tenderloin, SF 94102 0323023 79 units · 5 fl · 1910

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
Above average
avg 12.0
17
FewerMore

This building has 17 novs (7y), above the Tenderloin average of 12.0.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 545 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 1910
2 or more units
79 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 1910
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
Units79
Floors5
Year built1910
Total area48,160 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0323023
Ownership

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

Mailing address
308 Jessie St San Francisco CA 94103
Last sale
083117

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 79-unit, 5-story multi-family residential building at 545 O'Farrell Street, owned by 915 Folsom Street LLC, has had multiple significant maintenance and safety issues over recent years. Most notably, there has been a persistent problem with the building's elevator system, with multiple complaints and violations since 2022. The elevator has been reported out of service since April 2023, with the most recent complaint filed in May 2024 regarding expired boiler permits. The building experienced a serious incident in 2017 when a fire occurred in Unit 411, resulting in extensive smoke and water damage to the entire 4th floor. In response to various safety concerns, the building has undergone multiple fire safety improvements, including the installation of fire sprinklers in trash rooms (2019), a voluntary fire alarm system replacement (2019), and various fire-related violations requiring correction between 2006 and 2023.

The property has seen significant renovation work, particularly in 2018, which included kitchen and bathroom remodels in multiple units (111, 211, 311, 411, 315, and 511), and repairs to address violations including insulation and drywall replacement, plumbing repairs, and the installation of additional courtesy outlets. A hydronic boiler replacement was completed in March 2020, and various fire alarm system improvements were implemented. Recent complaints in 2024 have centered around boiler permit issues. The building's location in the Tenderloin neighborhood has been subject to typical urban challenges, with numerous 311 calls regarding street cleaning and sanitation matters, most recently in 2024.

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

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Risk rating

How 545 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
10th percentile

Out of 172 buildings in this neighborhood, 155 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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

Building size

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 2.9%
Moderate concern 80.6%
Severe concern 16.5%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

545 Ofarrell St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jun 27
Garbage and debris
human waste or urine
Building PermitJun 17
To comply with nov 202652838: repair fire damage in lobby area. same size same location units 108 & 308:repair 1 window in each unit.

See all 26 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 545 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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