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3871-3873 California St

Jordan Park/Laurel Heights, SF 94118 1040037 2 units · 3 fl · 1920

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 Jordan Park/Laurel Heights — not a forecast
Above average
avg 0.9
6
FewerMore

This building has 6 novs (7y), above the Jordan Park/Laurel Heights average of 0.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 3871-3873 California 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 1920
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM2
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 1920
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 built1920
Total area2,706 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1040037
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Leong Gilbert Yen, Trustee 1270 Quail Creek Cir San Jose CA 95120
Last sale
November 17, 2011

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.

3871 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118
3873 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 3871-3873 California Street is a three-story, two-unit multi-family residential building located in the Jordan Park/Laurel Heights neighborhood, owned by the Leong Family Trust since 1992 and constructed in 1920. The building has undergone several significant renovations and repairs over the past decade, including substantial interior remodeling in 2012 that involved combining rooms, adding bathrooms, and installing new water heaters throughout the building. More recent improvements in 2020 included window replacements and wood repairs at the rear of the building. However, there are serious ongoing concerns regarding lead paint safety that emerged in October 2019, with multiple violations issued for damaged paint creating potential lead hazards, improper weatherproofing, and building work conducted without proper permits. These lead-related violations, which pose health risks particularly to vulnerable populations, remain active as of the latest available information.

The building's maintenance history shows attention to essential systems, including a complete electrical upgrade in 2011 with new panels and circuits installed throughout the building. Recent maintenance issues have primarily involved exterior concerns, with multiple 311 reports in 2023-2024 related to graffiti on sidewalks, though these are not major structural or safety concerns. The property has also experienced some routine urban maintenance issues typical of its location, such as driveway blocking and refuse handling complaints in 2024. While the building has received various upgrades to its infrastructure and living spaces over the years, the persistent issues related to lead paint and the history of unpermitted renovation work suggest ongoing challenges with property maintenance and safety compliance.

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

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Risk rating

How 3871-3873 California 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
48thpercentile

Out of 272 buildings in this neighborhood, 141 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
81%
No DBI
violation
19%
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.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

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

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

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.

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 19%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

3871-3873 California St apartment reviews

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The story over time

3871-3873 California St event timeline

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

2020
Building Permit Nov 16
Replace 40 sq ft of wood ding at rear of building like for like
$1,000 · Issued
Building PermitSep 10
Proposed replacement of 6 vinyl windows at rear facades of building, 4th fl, like for like, same size same location not visible from street

See all 11 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 3871-3873 California St apartments

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

Side by side

How 3871-3873 California St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Jordan Park/Laurel Heights. 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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