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500 Fillmore St

Hayes Valley, SF 94117 0828018 19 units · 4 fl · 1900

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 Hayes Valley — not a forecast
Above average
avg 2.2
5
FewerMore

This building has 5 novs (7y), above the Hayes Valley average of 2.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 500 Fillmore 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 1900
2 or more units
19 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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 1900
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
Units19
Floors4
Year built1900
Total area8,748 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0828018
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Towan James R Trustee 44 Gough St Ste 202 San Francisco CA 94103
Last sale
March 24, 1989

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 19-unit, 4-story multi-family residential building at 500 Fillmore Street in Hayes Valley, owned by the James R Towan Family Trust, has experienced several significant events over recent years, most notably a fire incident in 2018 that affected units 202, 302, and 402, causing damage to floors, walls, and ceilings. This incident led to multiple repair projects, including a $35,000 renovation in late 2018 to address damage in several units, and more recently, a $25,000 fire system upgrade in early 2024 to enhance safety features including new smoke detectors and pull stations. The building has maintained an active fire safety compliance record, with recent inspections in 2023 revealing a sleeping area requirement violation that remains open, though other issues such as blocked exits and extinguisher concerns were promptly corrected.

The property has a documented history of maintenance and compliance activities, including three routine safety inspections between 1998 and 2010. Recent complaints have highlighted various concerns, including a lead paint removal issue in 2023 and a 2020 complaint about non-essential cleaning during shelter-in-place orders. There have been multiple records of garbage overflow issues outside the building in late 2024, with several street cleaning cases being resolved through city services. The building's fire safety systems have undergone regular scrutiny, with inspections showing the need for improvements to sprinkler systems and alarm systems, though most recent complaints in 2024 were found to have "No Merit." While there have been some historical violations related to sanitation and interior surface conditions, most have been promptly addressed, and the building continues to receive regular maintenance and upgrades to meet current safety standards.

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

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Risk rating

How 500 Fillmore 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
15thpercentile

Out of 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 873 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
40%
No DBI
violation
60%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

Building size

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

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 60%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

500 Fillmore St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

500 Fillmore St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 26
Garbage and debris
transit shelter platform
311 RequestJul 26
Garbage and debris

See all 23 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 500 Fillmore St apartments

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

Side by side

How 500 Fillmore St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Hayes Valley. 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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