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40 Buchanan St

Hayes Valley, SF 94102 0872008A 12 units · 3 fl · 1927

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, and our model sees a moderate chance of more in 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
7
FewerMore

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

Rent & eviction protection

Is 40 Buchanan 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
12 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM3
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
Units12
Floors3
Year built1927
Total area7,380 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0872008A
Ownership

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

Mailing address
1407 5th Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 12-unit, 3-story apartment building at 40 Buchanan Street in Hayes Valley, owned by Manfred & Sheila C Angstenb, has undergone several significant improvements since its construction in 1927. Most notably, the building completed its mandatory soft-story seismic retrofit in 2015 (Tier 3), ensuring improved structural safety. Recent maintenance includes a significant reroofing project in 2021 costing $13,500, and a complete renovation of Apartment 12's kitchen and bathroom in 2019, including new cabinets, countertops, fixtures, and tiles, with plumbing work also conducted in 2019. The building's infrastructure has seen major upgrades, including a new 200-amp electrical service installation in 2005 and the replacement of a steam boiler in 2012.

The property has experienced periodic maintenance issues and violations over the years, with some clusters of problems. A significant set of violations was recorded in 2002, including issues with the fire alarm system, stair repairs, fire safety equipment, and security features, though these were all abated by October 2002. More recently, in 2020, the building received fire code violations that were related to fire extinguisher maintenance and building owner contact requirements, which were subsequently abated. The building has undergone several routine inspections and maintenance interventions, including repairs to backstairs due to dry rot in 2002 and shoring work for an adjacent property in 2011. Recent complaints have been relatively minimal, with the most recent being a common areas complaint in 2023 that was resolved by the end of May 2023. There has been one recent investigation regarding possible illegal short-term rentals for Unit 5, which was marked as "Closed - Abated" in Planning Records. The property has experienced recurring issues with parking enforcement, particularly regarding blocked driveways, with multiple citations issued between 2022 and 2024.

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

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Risk rating

How 40 Buchanan 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
25thpercentile

Out of 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 770 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
51%
No DBI
violation
49%
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 (ZIP code)

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 49%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

40 Buchanan St apartment reviews

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The story over time

40 Buchanan St event timeline

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

2025
Building Permit Aug 20
Upgrade existing fire alarm system to comply with fire code for sffc 1103.7.6.1. adding 12 low frequency sounders.
$10,000 · Complete
Electrical PermitAug 07
Online electrical permit: 120 of buildings of 7-12 dwelling units. install sleeping sounder for 12 studio fbuilding from existing fire alarm panel to comply the fire code. .

See all 12 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 40 Buchanan St apartments

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

Side by side

How 40 Buchanan 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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