Free SF apartment background check

2526 Van Ness Ave

Russian Hill, SF 94109 0526019 12 units · 3 fl · 1922

This building has more problems than most buildings in this neighborhood. 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 2526 Van Ness Ave 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 1922
2 or more units
12 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RC3
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
Units12
Floors3
Year built1922
Total area10,275 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0526019
Ownership

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

Owner name
Lai King Quan Prpts Llc
Mailing address
William Quan 2526 Van Ness Ave Apt 10 San Francisco CA 94109
Last sale
122820

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 12-unit apartment building at 2526 Van Ness Ave in Russian Hill, built in 1922 and owned by Lai King Quan Prpts LLC, has undergone several significant safety and maintenance upgrades in recent years. Most notably, in early 2024, the building completed fire alarm system upgrades to meet current codes, including the installation of low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas and new fire panel equipment. The building previously completed a mandatory soft-story retrofit in 2017 to improve seismic safety. A concerning incident occurred in June 2021 when the building experienced a hot water heater failure, leaving residents without hot water for an extended period. The building has also faced multiple fire safety violations over the years, with the most recent being a sleeping area requirements violation from October 2023 that remains open as of now. Previous issues included various fire alarm system violations (2018-2024), sprinklers and standpipe system concerns (2019), and problems with exit access and fire extinguishers (2021).

The building's maintenance history shows attention to various infrastructure needs, including electrical system upgrades in 2003, roof repairs in 1991, and multiple plumbing improvements. Several building complaints were filed in late 2014 regarding water leaks, rodent infestation, and emergency system deficiencies, though most of these issues appear to have been addressed through subsequent permits and repairs. More recent concerns include periodic parking enforcement issues and some exterior maintenance matters reported through 311 calls, though these are generally related to street conditions rather than the building itself. The property has successfully completed several required inspections and improvements, including a 2017 soft-story retrofit, though the frequency of violations related to fire safety systems suggests ongoing maintenance and compliance needs in this area.

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

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Risk rating

How 2526 Van Ness Ave'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
25th percentile

Out of 1133 buildings in this neighborhood, 850 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
51%
No DBI
violation
49%
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.

Building size

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

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 24.1%
Moderate concern 48.5%
Severe concern 27.4%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

2526 Van Ness Ave event timeline

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

2024
Electrical Permit Feb 04
Online electrical permit: 120 of buildings of 7-12 dwelling units. modification of an existing fire alarm system by upgrading the fire panel, update all existing devices to be compatible with new facp and provide low frequency sounders in all sleeping areas to meet 75db
Complete
Building PermitFeb 01
Upgrade existing fire alarm system to comply with sffc section 1103.7.6.1

See all 9 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 2526 Van Ness Ave 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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