Free SF apartment background check

2136 Fell St

North Panhandle, SF 94117 1213003 6 units · 3 fl · 1926

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in North Panhandle — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 1.7
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the North Panhandle average of 1.7.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 2136 Fell 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 1926
2 or more units
6 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM3
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 1926
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
Units6
Floors3
Year built1926
Total area5,850 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1213003
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Zanello Arthur J & Sylvia T 1869 Market St San Francisco CA 94103
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 6-unit, 3-story apartment building at 2136 Fell Street in the Park North neighborhood is a 1926 multi-family residential structure currently owned by Zanello 1998 Tr. The building has undergone several significant safety and structural improvements over the past decades, most notably completing mandatory soft-story seismic retrofitting in 2015 (at a cost of $52,000) and a comprehensive fire alarm system upgrade in 2023 (worth $24,600) to comply with current fire code requirements, including the installation of low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas and updating all existing devices. The building achieved compliance with various fire safety requirements in 2003 following a series of violations related to fire escape ladders, fire extinguishers, central alarm system certification, stairs, and smoke enclosure doors, all of which were abated by July 14, 2003. Two separate fire alarm system complaints were addressed and corrected in 2007 and 2018, indicating the building's management has generally responded promptly to safety concerns.

Historical improvements to the property include a reroofing project completed in 1990, and various maintenance issues have been documented through the years. The building's most recent routine safety inspection in 2017 was not classified as active, suggesting no ongoing major concerns. The surrounding area has experienced various typical urban maintenance issues in recent years, including reports of illegal parking, damaged trees, garbage concerns, and street cleaning needs, all of which have been properly routed to and addressed by appropriate city departments. While the building's documented history shows cluster of violations in 2003, these were all resolved within three months, and subsequent fire safety systems upgrades and other improvements demonstrate ongoing commitment to maintenance and safety compliance.

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

Free account unlocks the full analysis — plus 2× more records across all data categories and the complete landlord portfolio.
Risk rating

How 2136 Fell 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
24thpercentile

Out of 797 buildings in this neighborhood, 606 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
58%
No DBI
violation
42%
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.

Property class: mixed-use w/ SFR

Mixed-use property including a single-family residential component.

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 42%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

2136 Fell St apartment reviews

Real experiences from people who have lived here. Share yours to help other renters decide.

Share your experience — Help other renters by leaving an honest apartment review

Loading reviews…

On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

This building and nearby alternatives, color-coded by risk level. Click any marker to explore.

The story over time

2136 Fell St event timeline

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

2026
Planning Record Jul 21
UCSF Parnassus building projects is staging it's construction project on the Fell Access Road between Shrader and Stanyan many mornings between 6-7:30am since late April. 1-2 semitrailers with building construction materials are parked, occasionally idling, on the Fell Access Road between the traffic and bike lanes. Also a semitrailer, seeemingly from the project, based on timing and context drove the wrong way down Fell street. This is an ongoing pattern of use which appears to be an illegal and unpermitted activity. I have attached a group of images to present the continued activity, ongoing for almost three months in a residential neighborhood where it appears illegal for trucks to park.
Open

See all 3 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 2136 Fell St apartments

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

Side by side

How 2136 Fell St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in North Panhandle. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

Loading comparables…
Still apartment hunting in SF?

Look up the next apartment before you sign

Search any SF address free — no account needed to see the risk rating.

Simple pricing

Get the complete picture

Every plan unlocks the complete report: all 13 SF datasets, full history, landlord portfolio, and PDF & Excel exports.

Pay once

Report Bundle

For the buildings you're deciding on right now

$10one time

3premium reports

$3.33 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 3 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them
Pay once

Apartment Hunter

For a wide search across many buildings

$39one time

30premium reports

$1.30 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 30 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them

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

Watch 2136 Fell St
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.