401-421 Ellis St
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.
This building has 17 novs (7y), above the Tenderloin average of 12.0.
Is 401-421 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.
Based on SF Assessor records. Not legal advice — confirm with the SF Rent Board.
| Units | 23 |
|---|---|
| Floors | 4 |
| Year built | 1907 |
| Total area | 16,620 sq ft |
| Property type | Multi-Family Residential |
| Tax status | None |
| Blocklot | 0333001 |
Registered owner per SF Assessor-Recorder (secured roll).
Landlord portfolio
Other SF properties this owner holds, with risk grades for each.
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All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.
The 23-unit, 4-story apartment building at 401-421 Ellis Street, owned by the Oh Family Trust 2008 and built in 1907, has experienced significant maintenance and safety issues over recent years, with the most pressing concerns centered around plumbing and fire safety systems. In 2025, residents reported water intrusion, damaged walls, mold, and a gas leak in Unit 105, while multiple sewer-related complaints emerged in mid-2024, including reports of collapsed sewer lines and defective house traps. The building underwent major plumbing work in 2023-2024, including boiler replacements and sewer main/house trap work. Fire safety systems have been a recurring concern, with violations and complaints about alarm systems, sprinklers, and extinguishers documented as recently as May 2024, though many historical fire violations from 2006-2019 show previous issues with system maintenance and compliance. Recent building activity includes a pending change of use from bar to retail store as of July 2024, and ongoing investigations into unpermitted construction and electrical work in 2024. The building's maintenance history shows regular repairs and updates, including a fire alarm panel replacement in 2022, reroofing projects, and various street space permits, though many historical violations from the 2000s indicate a pattern of safety and maintenance challenges that required correction. While some recent complaints have been marked as "not active," the building continues to experience infrastructure challenges, particularly in plumbing and fire safety systems, that warrant attention.
AI-generated · may contain errors · check the source data tables below
How 401-421 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.
Out of 172 buildings in this neighborhood, 77 are predicted to be safer.
violation
likely
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.
401-421 Ellis St apartment reviews
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401-421 Ellis St event timeline
Violations, complaints, fire incidents, permits, and buyouts — most recent records in order.
See all 32 events
Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.
Unlock complete timelineFull data for 401-421 Ellis St apartments
13 SF public datasets for this parcel — permits, violations, complaints, fire records, 311 calls, planning records, and buyouts.
What this is
Permits issued by the SF Department of Building Inspection for new construction, alterations, and repairs. Includes estimated cost and current permit status.
| Permit # | Description | Cost | Filed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Plumbing permit applications filed with the SF Department of Building Inspection. Covers plumbing installation, repair, and replacement work.
| Permit # | Description | Filed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Electrical permit applications filed with the SF Department of Building Inspection. Covers electrical wiring, panel upgrades, and related work.
| Permit # | Description | Filed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Notices of Violation issued by the SF Department of Building Inspection for code violations. Unresolved notices can escalate to legal action.
| Date Filed | Complaint # | Description | Item | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Complaints filed with the SF Department of Building Inspection about code violations. Tracks the complaint lifecycle from filing through abatement or referral.
| Complaint # | Date Filed | Date Abated | Division | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Planning Department project entitlements — discretionary review, conditional use, variances, and environmental review for this parcel.
| Address | Opened | Closed | Status | Description | Applicant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Planning Department administrative and compliance records that are not full project entitlements — pre-application meetings, code violations, and referrals.
| Address | Opened | Closed | Status | Description | Applicant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
SFFD fire incidents geo-joined to this parcel. Covers structure fires, alarms, and emergency responses with injury and fatality counts.
| Date | Situation | Civilian Injuries | Civilian Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Fire code violations issued by the SFFD. Tracks corrective actions required and resolution status for fire safety code enforcement.
| Violation Date | Description | Corrective Action | Status | Close Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Fire code complaints received by the SF Fire Department geo-joined to this parcel. Includes complaint type, disposition, and outcome.
| Received | Description | Disposition Date | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
SF 311 service requests geo-joined to this parcel. Includes maintenance complaints, street/sidewalk issues, and quality-of-life requests.
| Opened | Type | Agency | Category | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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What this is
Buildings subject to SF's mandatory soft-story seismic retrofit program. Unreinforced multi-story wood-frame buildings must meet compliance tiers.
| Tier | Status |
|---|---|
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What this is
Tenant buyout (Ellis Act pre-cursor) agreements recorded with the SF Rent Board. Tracks amounts paid to tenants to vacate rent-controlled units.
| Disclosure Date | Buyout Date | Amount | Tenants |
|---|---|---|---|
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