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2440 Van Ness Ave

Russian Hill, SF 94109 0547011 21 units · 3 fl · 1913

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. 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 Russian Hill
Above average
avg 1.9
12
FewerMore

This building has 12 novs (7y), above the Russian Hill average of 1.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 2440 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 1913
2 or more units
21 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.

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 1913
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
Units21
Floors3
Year built1913
Total area14,865 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0547011
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
1300 S El Camino Real #525 San Mateo CA 94402
Last sale
063010

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

2440 Van Ness Avenue is a 21-unit, 3-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1913 in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood. The property has undergone several significant improvements and faced various maintenance challenges over the years. Most recently, in 2023-2024, the building completed a comprehensive fire alarm system upgrade to meet current safety codes, including the installation of low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas and new fire alarm devices. The building has successfully completed its mandatory soft-story retrofit, receiving a Certificate of Final Completion, demonstrating compliance with seismic safety requirements. Significant infrastructure improvements include a complete electrical service upgrade in 2022 with a new 400-amp system, and a new steam heating boiler installation in 2018.

The building has experienced recurring heating system issues, with the most recent complaints in early 2023 regarding inadequate heat maintenance in occupied units, though these violations were abated promptly. Several historical violations have been recorded, including water damage issues in 2015 and multiple boiler permit compliance matters in 2013-2020, all of which were eventually resolved. The property underwent notable improvements in 2021 with the approved addition of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) within the ground floor, though this required temporary relocation of existing laundry and storage facilities. Additional maintenance work has included exterior wood stair repairs in 2012 and various plumbing upgrades, including sewerline and housetrap replacement in 2008. The building's management has generally addressed violations and complaints, with most issues being resolved promptly once brought to attention, demonstrating ongoing efforts to maintain building safety and compliance with city regulations.

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

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Risk rating

How 2440 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
11th percentile

Out of 1133 buildings in this neighborhood, 1008 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
23%
No DBI
violation
77%
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 15.8%
Moderate concern 34.2%
Severe concern 50.1%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

2440 Van Ness Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

2440 Van Ness Ave event timeline

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

2026
Plumbing Permit Jun 13
Work category: 1m; install mitsubishi heat pump mini split system with qty 1 outdoor heat pump and qty 3 indoor ceiling cassettes. to include linesets and drains.
Issued
Electrical PermitJun 12
New adu, includes adu laundry kitchen,bathroom,living room,heat pump and building laundry room.

See all 22 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 2440 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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