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1985 Ellis St

Western Addition, SF 94115 1127021 12 units · 3 fl · 1905

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model sees a moderate chance of more in the next 12 months. A few records worth reading before you sign. Check whether they were closed out, and ask what was actually fixed.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Western Addition — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 5.3
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Western Addition average of 5.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1985 Ellis 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
12 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
NC2
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
Units12
Floors3
Year built1905
Total area8,736 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1127021
Ownership

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

Mailing address
4444 Geary St San Francisco CA 94118
Last sale
December 28, 2011

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The building at 1985 Ellis Street, located in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood, is a multi-family residential apartment complex that has undergone significant fire safety improvements in recent years. Most notably, a fire alarm system upgrade costing over $41,000 was initiated in December 2024 to comply with current fire code requirements, and a related electrical modification in June 2023 upgraded the fire panel and installed low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas. The building completed its mandatory soft-story retrofit in 2016, demonstrating compliance with seismic safety requirements.

The property has experienced recurring fire safety issues, with multiple violations and complaints regarding alarm systems, sprinkler systems, and fire safety equipment documented between 2016 and 2024. A small grease fire occurred in September 2022 (which did not require fire department response), and there was one documented gas leak incident with no reported injuries. The building's maintenance history shows attention to infrastructure needs, including a 2021 sewer lateral/house trap update, the removal of unauthorized towerstream equipment in 2015, and various emergency repairs. However, the property has faced some resident concerns over the years, including a 2022 complaint regarding overcrowding (nine people in one bedroom apartment), and a 2015 issue with persistent odors in common areas. Recent 311 calls from late 2024 indicate ongoing challenges with street-level garbage and debris issues in the vicinity of the building, though these are external to the structure itself.

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

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Risk rating

How 1985 Ellis 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
40thpercentile

Out of 167 buildings in this neighborhood, 100 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
51%
No DBI
violation
49%
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.

Number of units

The number of units affects how the model reads complaint and violation totals — more units means more potential sources.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 49%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1985 Ellis St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1985 Ellis St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 11
Garbage and debris
furniture

See all 18 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1985 Ellis St apartments

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

Side by side

How 1985 Ellis St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Western Addition. 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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