Free SF apartment background check

78 Buchanan St

Hayes Valley, SF 94102 0872009 36 units · 6 fl · 1929

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 78 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 1929
2 or more units
36 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.

Building characteristics
Units36
Floors6
Year built1929
Total area41,040 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0872009
Ownership

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

Owner name
Lsl Properties B14 De Llc
Mailing address
Steven C. Thrower 1 Bush St Ste 900 San Francisco CA 94104
Last sale
051321

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

78 Buchanan Street is a 6-story, 36-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1929 in Hayes Valley, currently owned by Lsl Properties B14 De Llc. The building has undergone significant recent improvements, particularly related to fire safety systems, with a fire alarm system upgrade currently underway as of July 2024 to install new low frequency sounders in sleeping areas, following a cancelled attempt in July 2023. The property has experienced persistent fire safety concerns, with violations issued in March 2024 regarding UL certification and alarm systems, and an open violation from December 2023 related to sleeping area requirements. Recent substantial renovations have focused on individual unit improvements, including multiple kitchen and bathroom remodels across various units (104, 205, 204, 506) between 2017 and 2022, and the installation of washer/dryer facilities in several units. Infrastructure upgrades include the replacement of three steam boilers in July 2023.

The building has experienced several maintenance and safety issues over the years, including a significant mold complaint in 2018, electrical work without permits in 2017, and previous fire safety violations including problems with sprinklers, standpipe systems, and alarm systems. Historical complaints from 2013 indicated issues with rodent infestation, inadequate heating, and various maintenance concerns that were subsequently addressed. Recent exterior issues have been documented through 311 calls, primarily related to graffiti and sidewalk maintenance between 2024 and 2025. The property has undergone multiple tenant buyouts, with records showing payments of $15,000 and $28,000 to former tenants in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

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

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Risk rating

How 78 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

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
9th percentile

Out of 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 935 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
24%
No DBI
violation
76%
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.

Building size

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

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 15.6%
Moderate concern 80.0%
Severe concern 4.4%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

78 Buchanan St apartment reviews

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The story over time

78 Buchanan St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jun 11
Garbage and debris
human waste or urine
311 RequestMay 15
Garbage and debris

See all 29 events

Full history back to 2020 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 78 Buchanan 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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