Free SF apartment background check

1434-1438 Union St

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

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 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.

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 1908
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
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
Mailing address
1434 Union St San Francisco CA 94109
Last sale
—

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
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

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

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
72ndpercentile

Out of 1133 buildings in this neighborhood, 317 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
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 risk forecast
Low failure risk 17%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1434-1438 Union 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

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.

Unlock complete timeline
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.

Side by side

How 1434-1438 Union 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 1434-1438 Union St
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.