Free SF apartment background check

2548 California St

Pacific Heights, SF 94115 0634009 2 units · 3 fl · 2004

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 Pacific Heights — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 1.5
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), at or below the Pacific Heights average of 1.5.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 2548 California 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 2004
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
FILLMR
Not rent-controlled. Buildings constructed after 1978 are generally exempt from SF rent increase limits under the Costa-Hawkins Act.

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 2004
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
May be covered by AB 1482. The building is old enough for the statewide rent cap (5% + regional CPI, capped at 10% per year) and just-cause protection after 12 months of tenancy.

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 built2004
Total area5,454 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0634009
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Cheng John T & Laura Wan Ch 240 Spencer Ave Sausalito CA 94965
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 2548 California Street in Pacific Heights is a two-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1900, containing two units, with an attached rear commercial space. The building has undergone numerous construction phases over the years, with significant work focused on modifying the existing two-family layout, including removing one unit to enlarge another and relocating it to a new separate rear cottage, while also expanding the ground floor commercial space. Recent work completed in October 2023 involved a comprehensive electrical upgrade, installing a 400-amp service with four meters for both residential units. The building has faced several compliance issues, including violations of the Vacant or Abandoned Building Ordinance in 2019-2021, and numerous expired permits were documented between 2015 and 2023, though most have received final inspections and closure through recent permit applications.

Historical records show a complex construction history with several building, plumbing, and electrical permits dating back to 2001. The property has experienced multiple complaints regarding construction progress and safety concerns, with significant attention given to a long period of seemingly incomplete work between 2015 and 2021. This included issues with safety barriers, unauthorized occupancy concerns, and complaints about building maintenance. More recently, the building underwent major electrical system upgrades and plumbing work in 2023, suggesting substantial progress towards resolving previous construction completion issues. The property has also had numerous inspections and permit renewals, indicating ongoing regulatory oversight and compliance efforts. While many historical concerns have been addressed through recent permits and inspections, there are still remnants of previous compliance issues in the form of historical building violations and complaints from 2015-2019, though most are now marked as "Not Active" or "Abated."

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 2548 California 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
75thpercentile

Out of 963 buildings in this neighborhood, 241 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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

Property class: apartment building

Apartment building — this property classification influences expected violation rates.

Building size

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

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

2548 California 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

Loading reviews…

On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

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

The story over time

2548 California St event timeline

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

2023
Electrical Permit Oct 25
To obtain final inspection for work completed under: e201206063154, e200506067233, and e200605107672. 400 amp service, 600mcm, 4 meters see ref e202306137462 (upper unit front- residential)
Complete
Electrical PermitOct 25
To obtain final inspection for work completed under: e201206063154, e200506067233, and e200605107672. 400 amp service, 600mcm, 4 meters see ref e202306137462 (rear- residential)

See all 12 events

Full history back to 2019 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 2548 California St apartments

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

Side by side

How 2548 California St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Pacific Heights. 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.

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
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

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

Watch 2548 California St
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.