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488-492 Fell St

Hayes Valley, SF 94102 0818046 3 units · 3 fl · 1890

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model sees a moderate chance of more 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 Hayes Valley — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 2.2
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Hayes Valley average of 2.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 488-492 Fell 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 1890
2 or more units
3 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 1890
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
Units3
Floors3
Year built1890
Total area5,181 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0818046
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
7327 Geary Blvd San Francisco CA 94121
Last sale
May 15, 1987

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

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

490 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
492 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
488 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 488-492 Fell Street is a three-story mixed-use building constructed in 1890, currently containing three residential units and ground-floor commercial space. The building has undergone significant improvements and modifications over the past decade, with particular attention to the commercial space's transformation from a candy store to a restaurant between 2013-2015, including the installation of kitchen equipment, HVAC systems, and a new exhaust system. The residential portion received updates in 2010, including kitchen and bathroom remodeling, along with a 2012 solar panel installation that added 1.181kW total rating with five roof-mounted PV inverters.

The building has faced several challenges, most notably in 2010 when multiple housing violations were documented, including issues with heating, rodent infestation, electrical problems, plumbing concerns, and safety features such as smoke detectors and handrails. These violations were resolved by May 2010. Recent years have shown active maintenance of the property, with regular building permits for various improvements, though there have been numerous reports of garbage and debris issues in the vicinity of the building throughout 2024, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls. A recent cooking fire incident was recorded, but fortunately resulted in no civilian injuries. The property has also been involved in planning processes regarding lot area and rear yard variance requests, which were ultimately approved.

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

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Risk rating

How 488-492 Fell 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
43rdpercentile

Out of 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 585 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
63%
No DBI
violation
37%
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.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

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

Property class: apartment building

Apartment building — this property classification influences expected violation rates.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

Dollar value of permits pulled at this address — large recent spend can signal deferred-maintenance catch-up.

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 37%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

488-492 Fell St apartment reviews

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On the map

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Buildings nearby
8 found
The story over time

488-492 Fell St event timeline

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

2026
Planning Record Mar 18
DPH referral - Boba Drinks & Snacks Shop
Closed - Approved

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 488-492 Fell St apartments

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

Side by side

How 488-492 Fell St compares to the neighborhood

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