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261-265 Fell St

Hayes Valley, SF 94102 0833018 48 units · 6 fl · 1927

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
0
FewerMore

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

Rent & eviction protection

Is 261-265 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 1927
2 or more units
48 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 1927
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
Units48
Floors6
Year built1927
Total area30,000 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0833018
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
58 Condon Court San Mateo CA 94403
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.

261 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
265 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 48-unit, 6-story apartment building at 261-265 Fell Street in Hayes Valley, constructed in 1927 and currently owned by 265 Fell Street LP, has experienced several significant maintenance and safety issues in recent years. Most notably, there have been recurring elevator problems, with multiple complaints in late 2024 (November-December) regarding the elevator being out of service since November 1, 2024, affecting disabled residents. In addition, there is an open fire violation from December 2023 regarding sleeping area requirements. The building has undergone various infrastructure improvements over the years, including a complete electrical panel upgrade in 2007 to a circuit breaker system, installation of fire sprinklers in 1986, and several building maintenance projects in the early 1990s addressing soffit repair, parapet work, and storage space modifications.

Recent maintenance concerns include multiple sewage backup incidents in December 2024, work without proper permits in July 2024 involving window coverings on the west side of the building, and a heating system issue in December 2022. The property has a history of fire safety concerns, with multiple fire code violations documented between 2019 and 2023, though most were resolved promptly. Past building improvements have included a roof replacement (1995), lighting fixture installation (1997), and various structural repairs, with records indicating periodic attention to building systems maintenance. The building's recent history shows ongoing challenges with elevator reliability and fire safety compliance, along with some maintenance response delays affecting resident comfort and safety.

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

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Risk rating

How 261-265 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
2th percentile

Out of 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 1006 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
13%
No DBI
violation
87%
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.

Building size

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

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 9.9%
Moderate concern 58.8%
Severe concern 31.3%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

261-265 Fell St event timeline

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

2026
Fire Complaint May 08
Sprinkler/Standpipe Systems

See all 8 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 261-265 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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