Free SF apartment background check

287-299 Ellis St

Union Square, SF 94102 0331013 8 units · 6 fl · 1923

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 Union Square
At or below average
avg 6.9
6
FewerMore

This building has 6 novs (7y), at or below the Union Square average of 6.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 287-299 Ellis 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 1923
2 or more units
8 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 1923
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
Units8
Floors6
Year built1923
Total area18,300 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0331013
Ownership

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

Mailing address
573 S Van Ness Ave San Francisco CA 94110
Last sale
091919

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.

287 Ellis St, San Francisco, CA 94102
262 Taylor St, San Francisco, CA 94102
258 Taylor St, San Francisco, CA 94102
250 Taylor St, San Francisco, CA 94102
291 Ellis St, San Francisco, CA 94102
299 Ellis St, San Francisco, CA 94102
254 Taylor St, San Francisco, CA 94102
295 Ellis St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 287-299 Ellis Street is a 6-story, 8-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1923, currently owned by 16th/Taylor Apts LLC. The building has undergone several significant maintenance and upgrade projects over the past decades, with the most recent work in 2023 involving the replacement of two 100-gallon water heaters. The property has experienced recurring issues with boiler permit compliance, with three active violations as of October 2024, and previous similar violations cited in 2015, 2022, and 2023. The building has a history of fire safety concerns, including multiple fire code violations and blocked exit issues reported between 2019 and 2024, though most recent violations have been marked as corrected. Regular maintenance work has been performed, including electrical upgrades in 2023, bathroom modifications in 2012, and various plumbing improvements, though some past issues such as elevator outages (notably in 2010) and exterior façade concerns (2010) have been documented.

The building's permit history shows consistent attention to maintenance and upgrades, with work completed on fire safety systems, plumbing, electrical systems, and accessibility improvements. Historical violations have generally been addressed, though the pattern of boiler permit issues and fire safety violations suggests ongoing compliance challenges. The most recent construction activity includes exterior lighting installation in 2023 and water heater replacement in late 2023. External environment challenges have been noted recently, with multiple 311 calls in early 2025 regarding encampments and debris on nearby streets, though these are not directly related to the building's condition or management. The property has also experienced some historical infrastructure challenges, including broken elevator issues and system outages, but recent records indicate more systematic addressing of maintenance concerns.

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

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Risk rating

How 287-299 Ellis 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
68th percentile

Out of 38 buildings in this neighborhood, 12 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
13%
No DBI
violation
87%
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.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building NOV rate across everything this owner manages — high rates signal pattern neglect.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 6.0%
Moderate concern 83.9%
Severe concern 10.1%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

287-299 Ellis St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

287-299 Ellis St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 13
Garbage and debris
human waste or urine
311 RequestJul 13
Garbage and debris

See all 24 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 287-299 Ellis 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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