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1434-1438 Union St

Russian Hill, SF 94109 0526011 3 units · 3 fl · 1908

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Russian Hill
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 1434-1438 Union 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 1908
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM3
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.

Building characteristics
Units3
Floors3
Year built1908
Total area5,316 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot0526011
Ownership

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

Owner name
Josephs Diane M
Mailing address
1434 Union St San Francisco CA 94109
Last sale
052107

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.

1438 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94109
1436 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94109
1434 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit residential building at 1434-1438 Union Street in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood is a three-story flats and duplex structure built in 1908 and currently owned by Diane M. Josephs. The property has undergone several significant improvements over the past two decades, with the most recent being a complete reroofing project completed in 2024 costing $20,000. Notable structural improvements include an earthquake retrofit in 2018 that involved bolting and shearwall installation at the ground floor/basement area, and the replacement of 15 front-facing windows with Marvin wood clad units in 2013. Earlier improvements include the installation of four garage sprinklers in 2004 and the replacement of ten rear vinyl windows in 2007.

The building has experienced several compliance issues in the past, particularly in 2002-2003, including safety violations related to handrail requirements, egress obstructions, and unpermitted water heater installations with incorrect flue materials. All of these violations were subsequently abated, with the handrail and egress issues being resolved by December 2002, and the water heater violations addressed by October 2003. There were also complaints regarding unauthorized construction hours in February 2004 and concerns about unpermitted garage work, both of which were resolved promptly. The most recent incident was a minor issue with abandoned furniture reported in July 2024, which has been resolved. The building's maintenance record shows regular upkeep and modernization efforts, particularly in terms of seismic safety and water system improvements, though there was a period of multiple compliance issues in the early 2000s that has not been repeated in recent years.

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

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Risk rating

How 1434-1438 Union 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
72th percentile

Out of 1133 buildings in this neighborhood, 317 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
83%
No DBI
violation
17%
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.

Building size

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

Building age

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 41.4%
Moderate concern 18.3%
Severe concern 40.2%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
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The story over time

1434-1438 Union St event timeline

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

2025
DBI Complaint Aug 04
Date last observed: 01-aug-25; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling ; additional information: address number ¿4¿ is slightly faded in violation of the code and address is not clear or easy to read from road;
Building Inspection Division
DBI ComplaintAug 04
Date last observed: 01-aug-25; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling ; additional information: address numbers 1 and 4 are faded and address is not clearly legible in a clear violation of code 502.1;

See all 4 events

Full history back to 2024 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 1434-1438 Union St apartments

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

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