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857 Ellis St

Van Ness/ Civic Center, SF 94109 0739012 11 units · 2 fl · 1907

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, and our model predicts continuing maintenance failures over the next 12 months. Read the records below before you sign. Ask which issues were resolved, get repair commitments in writing, and inspect the unit yourself.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Van Ness/ Civic Center — not a forecast
Above average
avg 6.9
39
FewerMore

This building has 39 novs (7y), above the Van Ness/ Civic Center average of 6.9.

This building's 76% risk is high in absolute terms; it still rates lower-risk here because buildings in Van Ness/ Civic Center generally score worse. The colour is relative to the neighborhood, the percentage is not.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 857 Ellis 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 1907
2 or more units
11 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 1907
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
Units11
Floors2
Year built1907
Total area6,600 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0739012
Ownership

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

Mailing address
100 Rae Ave San Francisco CA 94112
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 857 Ellis Street is a two-story, 11-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1907 and currently owned by the Zivka Urosevic Trust. The building has undergone several significant improvements over the years, including a seismic upgrade in 1999 and compliance work for parapet ordinances in 1996. More recently, there have been multiple fire safety inspections and violations recorded in 2023-2024, including issues with alarm systems, sprinkler/standpipe systems, and sleeping area requirements, though most of these have been marked as "Condition Corrected" or "Violation Issued."

The building experienced considerable maintenance and safety challenges in late 2016 through 2017, with multiple complaints and violations related to safety equipment (smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors), security concerns, broken windows, and various housing quality issues including rodent infestation and plumbing problems. Recent history (2023-2025) shows ongoing concerns with building security and maintenance, particularly regarding encampments, graffiti, and debris issues in the vicinity of the property. Fire safety remains a current concern, with the most recent violations issued for alarm system maintenance and sleeping area requirements in 2024. The building's historical record shows a pattern of deferred maintenance and reactive responses to violations, though many past issues have been addressed through completed permits and abated violations.

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

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Risk rating

How 857 Ellis 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
60thpercentile

Out of 85 buildings in this neighborhood, 34 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
24%
No DBI
violation
76%
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.

Building size

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

Number of units

The number of units affects how the model reads complaint and violation totals — more units means more potential sources.

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 76%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

857 Ellis St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

857 Ellis St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Mar 06
Garbage and debris
other loose garbage debris yard waste

See all 8 events

Full history back to 2024 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 857 Ellis St apartments

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

Side by side

How 857 Ellis St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Van Ness/ Civic Center. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

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

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