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1520 Gough St

Lower Pacific Heights, SF 94109 0672010 38 units · 7 fl · 1928

This building has far more open problems than almost any other in the neighborhood. 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 Lower Pacific Heights
Above average
avg 1.6
2
FewerMore

This building has 2 novs (7y), above the Lower Pacific Heights average of 1.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1520 Gough 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 1928
2 or more units
38 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM4
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 1928
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
Units38
Floors7
Year built1928
Total area18,216 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0672010
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Steven C. Thrower 1 Bush St Ste 900 San Francisco CA 94104
Last sale
120820

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 38-unit, 7-story apartment building at 1520 Gough Street in Lower Pacific Heights, constructed in 1928, has undergone extensive renovations and faced recurring boiler permit issues in recent years. Between 2018 and 2021, multiple units (including 703, 302, 603, 501, 201, and 704) underwent comprehensive renovations including kitchen relocations, bathroom rehabilitations, and washer/dryer installations, with costs ranging from $28,000 to $57,000 per unit. The building's fire safety systems were notably upgraded in 2021 with the installation of wireless low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas and subsequent 2024 violations regarding alarm systems and sleeping area requirements indicate ongoing monitoring and compliance requirements.

Recent maintenance and compliance history reveals attention to boiler maintenance, with the most recent boiler permit violations filed in January 2024 (for serial numbers A98CH0126 and 761039 201806), which were abated by February 2024. The building has experienced several system-related issues over the years, including heating complaints in 2013-2014, laundry facility concerns in 2012, and a window hardware violation in 2015. Multiple fire department responses have been recorded, primarily for false alarms, smoke detector activations, and one cooking-related incident, all without civilian injuries. The property has maintained active compliance with most building codes, as evidenced by regular permit updates and prompt responses to violations, though the recurring boiler permit issues suggest an ongoing maintenance challenge.

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

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Risk rating

How 1520 Gough 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
5th percentile

Out of 670 buildings in this neighborhood, 636 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
20%
No DBI
violation
80%
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.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

The ZIP code captures local housing market and enforcement patterns that affect all buildings in the area.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 12.3%
Moderate concern 80.3%
Severe concern 7.4%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1520 Gough St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1520 Gough St event timeline

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

2026
Fire Complaint Jun 24
Extinguishers
Fire ComplaintJun 24
Alarm Systems

See all 30 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1520 Gough St 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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