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1600 Golden Gate Ave

Western Addition, SF 94115 1154006A 18 units · 3 fl · 1927

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 1600 Golden Gate 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 1927
2 or more units
18 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 1927
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
Units18
Floors3
Year built1927
Total area12,906 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1154006A
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Chow Edward Vah Ham & Grace 2019 Tamalpais Ave El Cerrito CA 94530
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 18-unit, 3-story apartment building at 1600 Golden Gate Avenue, owned by Chow Family Trust, has a complex history dating back to its construction in 1927. The building underwent a mandatory soft-story seismic retrofit in 2016 (completed at a cost of $18,000), addressing one of its most significant structural vulnerabilities. Between 2009-2010, the property faced serious building safety issues, including multiple Notices of Violation for structural deficiencies, particularly on the east side facing Scott Street. These violations, which initially surfaced in 2010, were ultimately resolved by December 2019 following several interventions, including the application of caulk to cracks in 2019.

The building has experienced recurring fire safety concerns, with violations and complaints about fire extinguishers, alarm systems, and sprinkler/standpipe systems documented between 2015 and 2024. While most of these issues were resolved promptly, their repeated nature suggests ongoing maintenance challenges. A notable incident occurred in 2019 when a building fire was reported, though fortunately, there were no civilian injuries. The property has also undergone various maintenance updates, including reroofing in 1994 and addressing brick veneer issues in 2019. A 2022 complaint regarding utility lines running through the adjacent property (1610 Golden Gate) was quickly resolved, and routine housing inspections have been conducted regularly, with the most recent being in 2017. While there have been multiple fire alarm activations recorded between 2015 and 2024, most were either false alarms or unintentional activations, with no reported civilian injuries in any incidents.

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

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Risk rating

How 1600 Golden Gate 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
43rdpercentile

Out of 167 buildings in this neighborhood, 95 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
55%
No DBI
violation
45%
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.

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 45%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1600 Golden Gate Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1600 Golden Gate Ave event timeline

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

2026
Fire Complaint Mar 11
Sprinkler/Standpipe Systems
No Merit

See all 9 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1600 Golden Gate Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 1600 Golden Gate Ave 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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