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635 Ellis St

Tenderloin, SF 94109 0335022 18 units · 4 fl · 1914

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
At or below average
avg 12.0
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Tenderloin average of 12.0.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 635 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 1914
2 or more units
18 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 1914
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
Units18
Floors4
Year built1914
Total area9,736 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0335022
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Steven C. Thrower 1 Bush St Ste 900 San Francisco CA 94104
Last sale
043018

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 4-story, 18-unit apartment building at 635 Ellis Street in the Tenderloin, constructed in 1914, has undergone numerous renovations and faced several significant issues over the past decade. Most notably, there is currently an open fire violation from December 2023 regarding sleeping area requirements that requires attention. The building has seen substantial improvements to its safety systems, including a major fire alarm system upgrade in 2021 that met current code requirements, though there have been recurring fire alarm system complaints dating back to 2012. The property has experienced various maintenance challenges, including serious water intrusion problems in early 2020 that led to unauthorized construction work requiring multiple permits for proper remediation, and a troubling mold incident in 2022 that reportedly affected resident health.

Recent improvements have focused largely on unit upgrades, with multiple apartments receiving kitchen and bathroom renovations between 2013 and 2021, including unit #1 in 2021 and unit #403 in 2020. The building's infrastructure has also seen significant work, including a sewer lateral replacement in 2021 and various plumbing upgrades. Historical records reveal past building violations from 2000-2012 related to various maintenance issues, including rodent infestation, staircase repairs, and fire safety concerns, though these were all marked as abated by 2013. While the property has undergone regular maintenance and improvements, the recent fire safety violation and historical pattern of water-related issues suggest ongoing infrastructure challenges. The building's location in the Tenderloin neighborhood has been subject to typical urban challenges as evidenced by recent 311 calls regarding street cleaning and lighting, though these are external to the building itself.

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

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Risk rating

How 635 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
65th percentile

Out of 172 buildings in this neighborhood, 60 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
16%
No DBI
violation
84%
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 14.0%
Moderate concern 42.6%
Severe concern 43.4%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

635 Ellis St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

635 Ellis St event timeline

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

2026
Building Permit Feb 09
As builts to fire alarm permit 202111192796. added 1 smoke at top of stairs and added exterior waterflow bell.
$4,720 · Complete

See all 19 events

Full history back to 2020 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 635 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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