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647-649 Masonic Ave

North Panhandle, SF 94117 1187003A 2 units · 2 fl · 1917

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in North Panhandle
At or below average
avg 1.7
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), at or below the North Panhandle average of 1.7.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 647-649 Masonic 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 1917
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
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
Units2
Floors2
Year built1917
Total area3,100 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1187003A
Ownership

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

Owner name
Chen Jack Xuejie
Mailing address
Chen Xuemin 647 Masonic Ave San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
022521

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.

647 Masonic Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117
647 A Masonic Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117
649 Masonic Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 647-649 Masonic Avenue is a two-unit, two-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1917, currently owned by Chen Jack Xuejie. The building has undergone significant renovations and modifications in recent years, with major work occurring between 2017 and 2023, including the addition of an ADU unit on the first floor with two bedrooms, bathroom, living room, and kitchen, valued at approximately $60,000. During this period, the property also received comprehensive upgrades including new fire sprinkler systems throughout the first floor (completed in 2023 at a cost of $32,000), electrical system improvements, and various interior remodels on both floors. Recent concerns have been documented, including a violation filed in January 2024 regarding unpermitted replacement of three front windows, and reports from 2023 about decaying exterior wood trim and peeling paint potentially containing lead.

The building's recent history shows active maintenance and upgrading of systems, including the installation of a new sprinkler monitoring system in October 2023, and various plumbing improvements such as the installation of a mini-split heat pump for the ADU unit. However, there have been multiple instances of work being performed without proper permits or inspections, as evidenced by several building complaints between 2017 and 2024. An illegal basement unit behind the garage was reported in 2018 and remains an active concern. The property has experienced typical urban challenges in its vicinity, including parking issues and maintenance concerns such as graffiti, though these are generally unrelated to the building's structural or safety conditions. The extensive renovation work over recent years, particularly the addition of the ADU unit and updated safety systems, suggests a substantial investment in improving the property's condition and amenities.

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

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Risk rating

How 647-649 Masonic 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

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
80th percentile

Out of 797 buildings in this neighborhood, 159 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
84%
No DBI
violation
16%
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.

DBI complaint rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building complaint rate across the owner's portfolio.

Building age

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 56.5%
Moderate concern 32.4%
Severe concern 11.1%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

647-649 Masonic Ave event timeline

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

2024
311 Request Jun 07
Graffiti on sidewalk in front of property
Sidewalk in front of property - Offensive
Building Violation (NOV)Jan 23
A complaint investigation has revealed the installation/replacement of three front/street facing windows without the benefit of a building permit. vinyl windows (3 total) at front of building, visible from street. code/section: sfbc 106a.4.7 monthly monitoring fee applies. code/section: sfbc 110a, table 1a-k

See all 18 events

Full history back to 2022 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 647-649 Masonic Ave apartments

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

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Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

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