Free SF apartment background check

1236 Chestnut St

Russian Hill, SF 94109 0478007 2 units · 3 fl · 1900

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model puts this building at a low risk of further maintenance problems in the next 12 months. A few records worth reading before you sign. Check whether they were closed out, and ask what was actually fixed.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Russian Hill — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 1.9
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Russian Hill average of 1.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1236 Chestnut 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 1900
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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 1900
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
Units2
Floors3
Year built1900
Total area2,772 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot0478007
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Hawthorne-stone Investments 1704 Union St San Francisco CA 94123
Last sale
—

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story multi-family residential building at 1236 Chestnut Street in Russian Hill, owned by Saxa Partners Llc, is a two-unit flats and duplex structure built in 1900. The building's maintenance history shows three significant permitted improvements: a reroofing project in 1997 (which has since expired), and a completed sewer replacement in 2013. In 1998, there was a notable complaint regarding inadequate heat in a rear bedroom, along with issues of chipped paint and mold/mildew, though this complaint was abated within nine days.

A review of recent municipal service calls (2022-2024) reveals recurring issues with street maintenance and parking enforcement around the property, though none are directly related to the building's condition or resident experience. These include multiple reports of vehicles blocking driveways (most recently in May 2023), several cases of abandoned vehicles in the vicinity, and various street cleaning concerns such as garbage overflow and waste removal. While these external issues affect the immediate neighborhood, they do not necessarily reflect on the building's internal conditions. The most recent documented building improvement was the sewer replacement in 2013, though no more recent building permit activity has been recorded in the available data.

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

Free account unlocks the full analysis — plus 2× more records across all data categories and the complete landlord portfolio.
Risk rating

How 1236 Chestnut 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

Lower risk — safer than most nearby

DBI rarely finds violations here. Strong maintenance history and a clean complaint record.

Typical — about average for the neighborhood

Some past violations or complaints on record. Worth asking the landlord about any open issues before signing.

Higher risk — riskier than most nearby

Elevated violation and complaint history. DBI has found issues here before and is statistically likely to again.

Neighborhood percentile
85thpercentile

Out of 1133 buildings in this neighborhood, 170 are predicted to be safer. The band is relative to this neighborhood, so a share of every neighborhood falls in each colour.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
90%
No DBI
violation
10%
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.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

The ZIP code captures local housing market and enforcement patterns that affect all buildings in the area.

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

Building age

Older buildings tend to have more maintenance challenges; SF's pre-1906 earthquake housing stock carries distinct risk.

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 10%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1236 Chestnut St apartment reviews

Real experiences from people who have lived here. Share yours to help other renters decide.

Share your experience — Help other renters by leaving an honest apartment review

Create account

Loading reviews…

On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

This building and nearby alternatives, color-coded by risk level. Click any marker to explore.

Buildings nearby
8 found
The story over time

1236 Chestnut St event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint Jul 09
Date last observed: 08-jul-26; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling other building; ; additional information: address numbers do not contrast with their background in violation of code 502.1;
Building Inspection Division

See all 2 events

Full history back to 2025 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 1236 Chestnut St apartments

13 SF public datasets for this parcel — permits, violations, complaints, fire records, 311 calls, planning records, and buyouts.

Side by side

How 1236 Chestnut St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Russian Hill. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

Loading comparables…
Still apartment hunting in SF?

Look up the next apartment before you sign

Search any SF address free — no account needed to see the risk rating.

Search another address Get full report
Simple pricing

Get the complete picture

Every plan unlocks the complete report: all 13 SF datasets, full history, landlord portfolio, and PDF & Excel exports.

Pay once

Report Bundle

For the buildings you're deciding on right now

$10one time

3premium reports

$3.33 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 3 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them
Buy 3 Reports — $10
Pay once

Apartment Hunter

For a wide search across many buildings

$39one time

30premium reports

$1.30 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 30 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them
Buy 30 Reports — $39
Most Popular Current plan
Subscription

Renter

For the weeks when the stakes are highest

$8.33/mo

5premium reports / mo

Billed $100/year — save $44 vs monthly

Renews automatically until you cancel.

  • Unlimited standard reports — 50 records per dataset
  • 5 premium AI reports per month — live data, 200 records per dataset, all 27 record types
  • PDF & Excel exports on every report
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Full event timeline — every year of history
  • Landlord portfolio & ownership insights
Start Your Search

Less than $0.28/day. Cancel anytime.

Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

Watch 1236 Chestnut St
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.