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255-261 Hickory St

Hayes Valley, SF 94102 0832009A 6 units · 3 fl · 1911

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 Hayes Valley
Above average
avg 2.3
7
FewerMore

This building has 7 novs (7y), above the Hayes Valley average of 2.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 255-261 Hickory 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 1911
2 or more units
6 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 1911
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
Units6
Floors3
Year built1911
Total area3,765 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0832009A
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Bowen Robert E & Mary C Tru 1267 42Nd Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
082009

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.

255 Hickory St, San Francisco, CA 94102
257 Hickory St, San Francisco, CA 94102
259 Hickory St, San Francisco, CA 94102
261 Hickory St, San Francisco, CA 94102
255 A Hickory St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 6-unit, 3-story building at 255-261 Hickory Street in Hayes Valley, owned by Bowen Family Revocable Trust, has undergone several notable events since 2022. A routine safety inspection in March 2023 revealed multiple areas requiring attention, including fire escape ladder maintenance, structural maintenance certification, and two specific locations of concern (one at the gas meter) throughout the property. These violations, though marked as "not active," indicate prior safety and maintenance issues that needed to be addressed. A reroofing project was completed in September 2023, representing the only building permit filed in the past seven years, with a reported construction cost of $22,900.

The building's history includes six recorded fire incidents between 2022 and 2025, all involving outside rubbish or dumpster fires, though none resulted in civilian injuries or fatalities. In recent months (2026), there have been multiple 311 service requests related to homelessness and supportive housing issues near the property, with some cases being resolved while others were marked as duplicates or unable to locate. The building's management was active in responding to the March 2023 inspection findings, as evidenced by the May 2023 abatement of a complaint related to common areas. While the property has maintained occupancy without any recorded residential evictions, the frequency of fire incidents and the pattern of 311 service requests related to homelessness in the immediate vicinity warrant attention.

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

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Risk rating

How 255-261 Hickory 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
37th percentile

Out of 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 647 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
59%
No DBI
violation
41%
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.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

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

Number of units

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

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 38.1%
Moderate concern 22.5%
Severe concern 39.3%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

255-261 Hickory St apartment reviews

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The story over time

255-261 Hickory St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 28
Homelessness and supportive housing
housing homeless request for service
311 RequestJul 15
Homelessness and supportive housing

See all 17 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 255-261 Hickory 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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