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3959-3961 Washington St

Presidio Heights, SF 94118 0991031 2 units · 3 fl · 1913

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, but recent activity points to a low risk of further maintenance problems 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 Presidio Heights — not a forecast
Above average
avg 1.2
4
FewerMore

This building has 4 novs (7y), above the Presidio Heights average of 1.2.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 3959-3961 Washington 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 1913
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH1
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 1913
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
Units2
Floors3
Year built1913
Total area5,894 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot0991031
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Blatt Lawrence & Nicole Tru 3959-3961 Washington St San Francisco CA 94118
Last sale
October 30, 2020

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.

3961 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94118
3959 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story multi-family residential building at 3959-3961 Washington Street in Presidio Heights, owned by Lawrence & Nicole Blatt Lvg, is a century-old duplex that has undergone significant renovations and system upgrades in recent years. The most substantial improvements were completed between 2017 and 2018, including the installation of a comprehensive fire sprinkler system, new electrical systems with 300amp service, underfloor hydronic radiant heating, and extensive plumbing work involving multiple bathroom and kitchen installations. The building also received safety upgrades such as a sprinkler monitoring system and various structural improvements, including reconfigured rear exterior stairs, decks, and interior walls.

The property experienced some challenges during construction, including a May 2017 incident where chimney collapse occurred, reportedly affecting both the subject building and a neighboring property. However, this appears to have been addressed promptly. The building's infrastructure improvements included adding four direct vent fireplaces, seven bathroom renovations, and rooftop AC installation. More recent maintenance issues have mainly involved external municipal services, with several requests for street cleaning, sewer service, and parking enforcement being recorded between 2021 and 2024. The building's most recent fire safety inspection in late 2020 noted issues with the sprinkler/standpipe systems, though these were corrected by early 2021. The property's comprehensive renovation history indicates significant investment in improving both safety systems and resident amenities over the past several years, though some permits from 2018 show as expired, which may require verification.

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

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Risk rating

How 3959-3961 Washington 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
64thpercentile

Out of 181 buildings in this neighborhood, 65 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
82%
No DBI
violation
18%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

Dollar value of permits pulled at this address — large recent spend can signal deferred-maintenance catch-up.

Building permits, owner's portfolio

Permits pulled across all of this owner's buildings over 7 years.

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 18%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

3959-3961 Washington St apartment reviews

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The story over time

3959-3961 Washington St event timeline

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

2020
Fire Complaint Dec 12
Sprinkler/Standpipe Systems
Condition Corrected

See all 1 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 3959-3961 Washington St apartments

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

Side by side

How 3959-3961 Washington St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Presidio Heights. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

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