Free SF apartment background check

490-498 Hayes St

Hayes Valley, SF 94102 0808017 21 units · 3 fl · 1914

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 Hayes Valley
At or below average
avg 2.3
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), at or below the Hayes Valley average of 2.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 490-498 Hayes 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 1914
2 or more units
21 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
HAYES
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 1914
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 built1914
Total area13,770 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0808017
Ownership

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

Mailing address
955 Prague St San Francisco CA 94110
Last sale
000000

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

490 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
518 Octavia St, San Francisco, CA 94102
522 Octavia St, San Francisco, CA 94102
524 Octavia St, San Francisco, CA 94102
494 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
498 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
508 Octavia St, San Francisco, CA 94102
514 Octavia St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story, 21-unit building at 490-498 Hayes Street, constructed in 1914 and currently owned by Giampaolo Boschetti, has experienced significant tenant-related issues in recent years, particularly concerning the ground-floor commercial space. The most pressing and ongoing concern, documented in multiple complaints throughout 2025-2026, involves air quality and ventilation problems linked to the Sforno restaurant's exhaust system, which has allegedly been improperly venting smoke, fumes, and odors into residential units. Tenants have reported health concerns, including ash and soot accumulation in apartments, and have filed complaints with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. There are also documented pest control issues, with recent complaints in July 2026 reporting rodent infestations in common areas and residential units, potentially related to waste management practices of the ground-floor commercial tenant.

The building's maintenance and compliance history shows some recent attention to addressing these ongoing challenges, with multiple work permits issued between 2019-2026 for modifications and improvements to the commercial space, including changes to the exhaust system and installation of new equipment. A construction project in 2020-2025 involved significant modifications to the restaurant space, including changes to sink locations and equipment. The property has generated a substantial number of service requests (305 in the past 7 years) and has experienced one fire incident, though details of this incident are not specified in the records. A recent building violation was filed in December 2023 related to a missed inspection appointment by the landlord, which remains active in the system. While the building has undergone some permitted improvements, the pattern of tenant complaints suggests ongoing challenges with building systems and tenant comfort, particularly regarding the interaction between the commercial and residential portions of the property.

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

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Risk rating

How 490-498 Hayes 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 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 976 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
19%
No DBI
violation
81%
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.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building NOV rate across everything this owner manages — high rates signal pattern neglect.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 20.7%
Moderate concern 72.2%
Severe concern 7.1%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

490-498 Hayes St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

490-498 Hayes St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 30
Garbage and debris
other loose garbage debris yard waste
311 RequestJul 29
Homelessness and supportive housing

See all 28 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 490-498 Hayes 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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