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140 Palm Ave

Jordan Park/Laurel Heights, SF 94118 1062040 5 units · 2 fl · 1921

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Jordan Park/Laurel Heights — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 0.9
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Jordan Park/Laurel Heights average of 0.9.

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 140 Palm Ave 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 1921
2 or more units
5 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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 1921
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
Units5
Floors2
Year built1921
Total area5,820 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1062040
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Poon Vera J Ttee 3117 Louis Rd Palo Alto CA 94303
Last sale
July 30, 2004

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

140 Palm Ave is a 5-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1921, currently owned by the Vera J Poon Family Trust. The property has undergone several significant improvements to enhance safety and accessibility over the years, most notably completing its mandatory soft-story retrofit in 2016 at a cost of $75,000, which included building reinforcement in the basement, new foundation work, and the installation of steel strong walls. The building was equipped with an elevator in 2003 (at a cost of $95,000) to improve accessibility for the top rear apartment, with associated electrical work completed the same year. Other major maintenance work has included a new roof installation in 2008 ($16,000), termite repairs in 2007 ($3,000), and a trenchless sewer replacement in 2009.

The building has a history of addressing safety compliance issues, with a notable instance in 2004 when violations were recorded regarding fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and emergency exits during a routine inspection. These violations were all promptly abated by July 2004. The property has maintained its soft-story compliance as a Tier 3 building, with work completed and a Certificate of Final Compliance issued. Recent external matters recorded through 311 calls include a curb defect (2023), though this appears to be a public infrastructure issue rather than a building concern. The building's maintenance and improvement history suggests regular attention to structural integrity and resident safety, particularly in areas requiring statutory compliance such as seismic retrofitting and accessibility.

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

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Risk rating

How 140 Palm Ave'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 272 buildings in this neighborhood, 204 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
68%
No DBI
violation
32%
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.

Building age

Older buildings tend to have more maintenance challenges; SF's pre-1906 earthquake housing stock carries distinct risk.

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 32%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

140 Palm Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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This building and nearby alternatives, color-coded by risk level. Click any marker to explore.

The story over time

140 Palm Ave event timeline

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

2023
311 Request Jun 18
Curb or curb ramp defect
Curb or Curb Ramp Defect

See all 1 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 140 Palm Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 140 Palm Ave 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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