Free SF apartment background check

738-744 Divisadero St

Alamo Square, SF 94117 1181016 6 units · 3 fl · 1905

This building has far more open problems than almost any other in the neighborhood. Renters here report frequent, slow-to-fix problems. Get repair promises in writing and check the unit before signing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Alamo Square
At or below average
avg 2.3
2
FewerMore

This building has 2 novs (7y), at or below the Alamo Square average of 2.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 738-744 Divisadero 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
6 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.

Building characteristics
Units6
Floors3
Year built1905
Total area4,800 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1181016
Ownership

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

Owner name
Thomas Richard E
Mailing address
Po Box 877 San Leandro CA 94577
Last sale
000000

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

742 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
744 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
740 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
738 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story, six-unit apartment building at 738-744 Divisadero Street, located in the Alamo Square neighborhood, was constructed in 1905 and is currently owned by Richard E. Thomas. The building has a documented history of maintenance issues, with particular attention required to address safety concerns. Most notably, it is classified as a Tier 3 non-compliant soft-story building, with an active complaint from 2019 regarding failure to comply with the Soft Story Tier III retrofit requirements. The property has faced recurring stair safety issues, with repairs undertaken in 2019 costing $7,500 for repairs to staircase #2, following multiple historical permits for stair repairs dating back to 1993. A significant active complaint from 2019 remains unresolved, documenting concerns about a rotting wooden fire escape, heater damage above the mantle, and multiple violations related to plumbing, electrical systems, lead paint hazards, and flooring conditions.

More recent resident concerns include a 2020 complaint about malfunctioning gates and security issues, as well as safety concerns regarding dry brush in the backyard area. The building has a documented history of various maintenance and safety violations between 2008-2024, including issues with windows, paint conditions, plumbing systems, electrical systems, and general building upkeep. While some historical violations have been resolved, as evidenced by their "Not Active" status, there remain notable current compliance issues, particularly regarding the soft-story retrofit requirements. The property has experienced recurring issues with exterior maintenance, including multiple 311 calls in 2024 regarding garbage and debris, while a more recent fire complaint from 2021 concerning blocked exits was determined to be outside of jurisdiction.

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

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Risk rating

How 738-744 Divisadero 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

Grade A–B — Low risk

DBI rarely finds violations here. Strong maintenance history and a clean complaint record.

Grade C — Moderate risk

Some past violations or complaints on record. Worth asking the landlord about any open issues before signing.

Grade D–F — High risk

Elevated violation and complaint history. DBI has found issues here before and is statistically likely to again.

Neighborhood percentile
6th percentile

Out of 305 buildings in this neighborhood, 287 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
23%
No DBI
violation
77%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

Number of units

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

Director's hearing rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building rate of director's hearings across the owner's portfolio.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 13.5%
Moderate concern 62.2%
Severe concern 24.3%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

738-744 Divisadero St apartment reviews

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The story over time

738-744 Divisadero St event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint Jun 01
The stairs to the building and the outside of the building don't have proper lighting. a hole was made in the wall and create an opening for a new light but this was not the safe and proper way to do things. because there is no lighting on the stairs, customer fell down the stairs. he is a cancer patient and should not be subjected to this issue. also, he has to go down flights of stairs to open the door for guest because doorbell is not working. rp had to place their own battery sensor lights as a temporary resolve. please inspect asap.*311* caller declined to provide a phone number and would like any correspondence to be via email.
Housing Inspection Services
DBI ComplaintJun 01
Previously submitted sr 101003362046 closed in january 2026 as accepted. building still has moldcomplaint:there is lots of mold in the building. caller is a cancer patient and has no immune system. he is breathing in this mold every day. the smell of the mold is very strong. it is affecting his health in a major way. richard e thomas is the owner of the building and he is a known slum lord who can be found on google. he is not doing anything about this mold. there is also asbestos in the building.*311* caller declined to provide a phone number and would like any correspondence to be via email.

See all 12 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 738-744 Divisadero St apartments

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

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