Free SF apartment background check

50 Church St

Hayes Valley, SF 94114 0874003 78 units · 4 fl · 1905

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
Above average
avg 2.3
31
FewerMore

This building has 31 novs (7y), above the Hayes Valley average of 2.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 50 Church 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 1905
2 or more units
78 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 1905
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
Units78
Floors4
Year built1905
Total area61,414 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0874003
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Steven C. Thrower 1 Bush St Ste 900 San Francisco CA 94104
Last sale
120220

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.

400 Duboce Ave, San Francisco, CA 94114
50 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 78-unit multi-family residential building at 50 Church Street, managed by 400 Duboce LLC, is a 4-story structure built in 1905 in Hayes Valley. Recent improvements include ongoing maintenance and upgrades, with the most recent projects being a kitchen and bathroom remodel in Unit 408 (2024) and an upgrade to the fire alarm system to comply with current codes (2024). The building has undergone significant unit renovations since 2020, with multiple apartments receiving kitchen and bathroom upgrades, washer/dryer installations, and associated electrical and plumbing work. Notable infrastructure improvements include the replacement of the steam boiler in 2023 and comprehensive fire alarm system upgrades in 2024.

The building has faced several concerning issues in recent years, particularly in 2024, including recurring rodent infestations, heat outages, and electrical system concerns. Complaints in early 2024 reported complete building-wide heating failures and ongoing pest problems, while electrical complaints revealed concerns about unauthorized solar panel installations and associated system problems. A significant concern emerged in late 2024 regarding potential hazardous materials exposure related to 2022 construction work, though this complaint remains active. Fire safety has been a recurring issue, with multiple violations noted between 2023-2024 regarding alarm system maintenance and requirements, including an open violation as of November 2023. The building is classified as "soft story" Tier 2, indicating completed seismic retrofit work. Historical violations from 2009 included various building maintenance issues that were subsequently resolved.

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

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Risk rating

How 50 Church 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
1th percentile

Out of 1027 buildings in this neighborhood, 1017 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
8%
No DBI
violation
92%
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.

Notices of Violation (past 7 years)

DBI issued Notices of Violation at this address over the last 7 years — a direct record of code enforcement activity.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 5.7%
Moderate concern 41.2%
Severe concern 53.0%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

50 Church St apartment reviews

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On the map

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8 found
The story over time

50 Church St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 24
Encampment
Encampment
DBI ComplaintJul 23
Date last observed: 22-jul-26; time last observed: 9:37 am; floor: 3; unit: 301; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling plumbing inoperative; no hot water; ; additional information: water is completely unavailable in unit 301-no hot or cold water is running from any fixture. i received no advance notice of a shutoff. i submitted a maintenance request and texted the building superintendent, but service has not been restored. the outage is preventing me from washing and getting ready for work. please inspect and require immediate restoration of water service.;

See all 36 events

Full history back to 2022 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 50 Church St apartments

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

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