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126 Palm Ave

Jordan Park/Laurel Heights, SF 94118 1062044 4 units · 2 fl · 1920

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years, and our model puts it at a low risk of maintenance problems over the next 12 months. 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.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 126 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 1920
2 or more units
4 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 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
Units4
Floors2
Year built1920
Total area5,300 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1062044
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Sampson John F Trustee 2000 California St Apt 12 San Francisco CA 94109
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

126 Palm Avenue is a 2-story, 4-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1920, currently owned by the John F Sampson Living Trust. The property experienced significant damage in 2020, including fire and water-related issues, necessitating comprehensive restoration work with a $500,000 renovation completed in December 2020 that included the restoration of all kitchens, hallways, ceilings, and structural roof repairs. Subsequent electrical and plumbing work in 2021 involved extensive rewiring of all four apartments and kitchen/bathroom renovations, with the electrical system receiving major upgrades including new sub-panels for each unit. The building has undergone several important improvements over the years, including kitchen remodels in multiple units (1993, 1994, 2004, 2008), window replacements (2011), and a complete re-roofing (2005).

Recent maintenance concerns include multiple sewer backup incidents in August 2021, which were resolved, and ongoing issues with tree roots damaging the sidewalk (reported June 2023) and a curb defect (reported June 2023). The property has maintained regular housing inspections, with records showing only routine inspections in 2004. Parking-related issues in the surrounding area have generated several 311 calls between 2019-2024, though these are not directly related to the building's condition or management. The building has experienced two documented fire-related incidents: a gas leak (date unspecified) and an unintentional building fire (date unspecified), neither resulting in civilian injuries. The property's maintenance history shows regular updating of individual units and addressing of building-wide systems, though the 2020 fire incident represents the most significant recent structural event.

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

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Risk rating

How 126 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
49thpercentile

Out of 272 buildings in this neighborhood, 139 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.

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

126 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

126 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 8 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 126 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 126 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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