Free SF apartment background check

1040 Fell St

Alamo Square, SF 94117 0824002A 3 units · 2 fl · 1979

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Alamo Square
At or below average
avg 2.3
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Alamo Square average of 2.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1040 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 1979
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH3
Not rent-controlled. Buildings constructed after 1978 are generally exempt from SF rent increase limits under the Costa-Hawkins Act.

Based on SF Assessor records. Not legal advice — confirm with the SF Rent Board.

Building characteristics
Units3
Floors2
Year built1979
Total area3,653 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0824002A
Ownership

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

Owner name
Thomas Spencer J Trustee Of
Mailing address
2145 Geneva Ave San Francisco CA 94134
Last sale
101706

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 3-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building at 1040 Fell Street in Alamo Square, owned by Thomas Spencer J Trustee Of, was constructed in 1979 and has undergone several significant maintenance and improvement projects over the years. Most recently, the building received a complete reroofing in August 2024 (cost: $15,000) and underwent replacement of the front elevation's overlap wood siding in April 2023 (cost: $10,000). Between 2004-2005, interior improvements were made to various units, including cabinet replacements and kitchen renovations. A notable voluntary structural upgrade for a new garage was completed in 2003 at a cost of $60,000. The building experienced multiple maintenance and safety issues in 2006-2007, including problems with plumbing, electrical systems, ventilation, lead paint concerns, and fire safety equipment, though all these violations were abated by December 2006. More recent inspections in 2009, 2014 (showing mold and mildew issues), and 2018 have been recorded, with most recent violations indicating primarily routine issues rather than systemic problems.

The property has experienced three confirmed cooking-related incidents (with no civilian injuries) and an alarm system malfunction since records began. The building's location has generated multiple parking-related complaints in 2023-2024, with numerous reports of vehicles blocking driveways, though most could not be validated or resulted in official citations. Recent environmental service calls in 2024 have primarily concerned general street and sidewalk cleaning issues. The building's maintenance record shows regular upkeep with significant investment in recent years, though past issues with unauthorized modifications and various habitability concerns have been documented.

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

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Risk rating

How 1040 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

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
88th percentile

Out of 305 buildings in this neighborhood, 37 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
84%
No DBI
violation
16%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

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

Property class: multi-family flat

2–4 unit flats (class F) are a common SF building type with their own maintenance and complaint patterns.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 55.5%
Moderate concern 20.5%
Severe concern 24.0%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

1040 Fell St event timeline

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

2024
Building Permit Aug 26
Reroofing
$15,000 · Complete

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 1040 Fell 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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