Free SF apartment background check

538-542 Waller St

Hayes Valley, SF 94117 0861011 3 units · 3 fl · 1904

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

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 538-542 Waller 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 1904
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH3
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 1904
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 built1904
Total area5,625 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0861011
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
536 Waller St San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
July 07, 2015

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.

542 Waller St, San Francisco, CA 94117
538 Waller St, San Francisco, CA 94117
540 Waller St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit, three-story multi-family residential building at 538-542 Waller Street in Hayes Valley, built in 1904 and currently owned by Gflats LLC, has undergone significant renovations and improvements over the past decade. In 2015, the entire building received major updates including a comprehensive electrical rewiring, new furnaces for all units, and extensive plumbing work featuring tankless water heaters, bathroom and kitchen renovations across all units. Two separate bathroom additions were completed in 2015, with associated costs totaling over $85,000 and work including kitchen remodeling, laundry facilities, and gas line installations. A notable incident occurred during this renovation period in September 2015, with two complaints filed regarding suspected sewage leaks during construction, though these complaints were marked as "Not Active."

The most recent permitted improvements, filed in March 2016, involved basement renovations and garage creation, though the status remains "Filed." The building experienced one documented cooking-related fire incident, though it was contained with no civilian injuries reported. More recently, in 2024, there have been multiple reports regarding street-level issues near the building, including several cases of garbage and debris, abandoned furniture, and driveway-blocking vehicles, though these are not directly related to the building's condition or management. The property was the subject of two tenant buyouts in October 2015, with payments of $88,292.50 and $76,981.35 to four and five tenants respectively, suggesting significant changes to the building's occupancy during that period. Recent plumbing infrastructure work has included attention to the side sewer vent cover, with the most recent work being completed in October 2024.

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

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Risk rating

How 538-542 Waller 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
57thpercentile

Out of 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 442 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
70%
No DBI
violation
30%
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 location

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

Building size

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

Building age

Older buildings tend to have more maintenance challenges; SF's pre-1906 earthquake housing stock carries distinct risk.

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 30%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

538-542 Waller St apartment reviews

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On the map

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8 found
The story over time

538-542 Waller St event timeline

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

No dated public records on file yet.
Every record we have

Full data for 538-542 Waller St apartments

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

Side by side

How 538-542 Waller St compares to the neighborhood

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