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154 Cole St

North Panhandle, SF 94117 1194014 17 units · 3 fl · 1910

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, and our model predicts continuing maintenance failures over the next 12 months. Read the records below before you sign. Ask which issues were resolved, get repair commitments in writing, and inspect the unit yourself.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in North Panhandle — not a forecast
Above average
avg 1.7
48
FewerMore

This building has 48 novs (7y), above the North Panhandle average of 1.7.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 154 Cole 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 1910
2 or more units
17 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
NC1
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 1910
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
Units17
Floors3
Year built1910
Total area12,700 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1194014
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Ray John Wittenberg Trustee 43 San Marino Dr San Rafael CA 94901
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

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

154 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117
2082 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94117
2078 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94117
2080 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94117
2084 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

154 Cole Street is a 17-unit, 3-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1910, currently managed by the Ray John Wittenberg Trust (2011). The property has undergone several significant upgrades over recent years, including a completed soft-story retrofit in 2018 (Tier 4) to improve seismic safety, window replacements in Units #9 (2019, wood) and other units (2017, vinyl), and various kitchen improvements related to a former restaurant space. The building's infrastructure has seen notable updates, including a new Peerless gas boiler installation in October 2024, kitchen fire system upgrades, and electrical improvements between 2022 and 2024.

However, the building has faced recurring heating system challenges, with multiple tenant complaints about inadequate heat during 2020-2023, including an "inadequate heat" complaint as recent as October 2023. The property has also experienced maintenance issues, evidenced by a June 2023 complaint regarding poor lighting and safety concerns in the basement stairs, and a June 2023 complaint about pest control (insects/rodents) on the second floor. A cluster of building violations was documented in December 2019, including issues with smoke/carbon monoxide detectors and various safety compliance items, though these were abated by May 2021. Fire safety systems have been a focus, with violations noted for sprinkler systems in 2019, though the building's overall fire safety systems (alarms, extinguishers) were found to have "No Merit" in 2022 inspections. The property also experienced lead paint-related notifications in 2019. Recent 311 calls from late 2024 (January) have documented recurring issues with overflowing garbage facilities, though these are not directly related to building habitability.

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

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Risk rating

How 154 Cole 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
0thpercentile

Out of 797 buildings in this neighborhood, 797 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
11%
No DBI
violation
89%
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.

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

Notices of Violation (past 7 years)

DBI issued Notices of Violation at this address over the last 7 years — a direct record of code enforcement activity.

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 89%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

154 Cole St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

154 Cole St event timeline

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

2026
Building Violation (NOV) Jul 01 Serious
Building violation
154 cole st. unit #3
Building Violation (NOV)Jul 01
Building violation

See all 23 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 154 Cole St apartments

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

Side by side

How 154 Cole St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in North Panhandle. 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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