Free SF apartment background check

851 Ofarrell St

Tenderloin, SF 94109 0717016 27 units · 4 fl · 1908

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model predicts a high 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 Tenderloin — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 12.1
4
FewerMore

This building has 4 novs (7y), at or below the Tenderloin average of 12.1.

This building's 80% risk is high in absolute terms; it still rates lower-risk here because buildings in Tenderloin generally score worse. The colour is relative to the neighborhood, the percentage is not.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 851 Ofarrell 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
27 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RC4
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
Units27
Floors4
Year built1908
Total area13,280 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0717016
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Pipi Inc 1201 Fulton St San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
March 28, 1989

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 27-unit, four-story apartment building at 851 Ofarrell Street, owned by Ofarrell Associates LLC and constructed in 1908, is located in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. The property has undergone several significant modifications in recent years, including a voluntary seismic upgrade in 2019 costing $165,000, and the controversial addition of 4 ADUs at the ground level completed in 2018-2019, which required changes to the Olive Street façade. The building has a concerning history of maintenance and safety issues, with multiple active violations from 2017 including problems with fire safety systems, mold, spalling concrete, walls and ceiling repairs, elevator certification, and appliance issues. More recent issues include a creaking floor complaint from January 2025 and recurring fire safety violations, with the most recent violations in 2024 related to standpipes and maintenance of safeguards. The building's history shows notable plumbing and electrical work, including kitchen renovations in 2009 and common area improvements in 2017, along with various elevator and utility maintenance concerns. Security measures have been periodically addressed, with a new security front door installed in 1989.

The property has experienced several infrastructure challenges over the years, including a significant plumbing incident in 2014 involving hot water outages and leaks affecting multiple units, and various elevator malfunction complaints. Fire safety has been a persistent concern, with multiple violations and complaints regarding sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, and blocked exits recorded between 2018 and 2024. The building has also experienced several emergency responses by fire services, primarily related to false alarms, carbon monoxide detector activations, and one gas leak incident, though fortunately none resulted in civilian injuries. Recent 311 calls from January 2025 indicate ongoing issues with building maintenance in the surrounding area, including reports of graffiti and garbage. The property's management has initiated various repairs and upgrades over the years, including addressing fire safety concerns through door repairs and fire sprinkler installations, though many violations from 2017 remain unresolved, with a director hearing scheduled in October 2019 for multiple active violations.

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 851 Ofarrell 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
70thpercentile

Out of 172 buildings in this neighborhood, 52 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
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 location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 80%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

851 Ofarrell 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

851 Ofarrell St event timeline

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

2026
Fire Complaint May 26
Sleeping Area Requirement
Violation Issued

See all 14 events

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

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 851 Ofarrell St apartments

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

Side by side

How 851 Ofarrell St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Tenderloin. 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 851 Ofarrell St
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.