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21 Buena Vista Ave

Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights, SF 94117 1241009A 2 units · 3 fl · 1900

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 Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights
At or below average
avg 1.6
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights average of 1.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 21 Buena Vista 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 1900
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH3
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 1900
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
Units2
Floors3
Year built1900
Total area5,520 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1241009A
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
1247 Cooper St Palo Alto CA 94301
Last sale
121615

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story, two-unit residence at 21 Buena Vista Avenue, built in 1900 and currently owned by Buenavis LLC, has experienced several significant issues in recent years. Most notably, between May 15 and May 28, 2026, there were two complaints filed with the Department of Building Inspection regarding unauthorized construction activity using the property's side driveway as a construction workspace, complete with construction trucks, a dumpster, and a portable restroom. While these complaints are currently listed as "Not active," they indicate concerns about proper construction practices and neighborhood disruption. The building did undergo legitimate structural work in 2021, with permits issued for voluntary strengthening of the wood frame structure, with associated costs of $35,001.

In addition, there has been a pattern of sidewalk parking violations near the property, with five separate reports filed between July 17 and July 30, 2026, regarding vehicles obstructing pedestrian walkways. While some of these complaints could not be validated, at least one resulted in a citation, suggesting ongoing concerns about parking compliance in the vicinity. The building's overall service record shows a high level of activity, with 52 311 service requests in the past seven years, three fire incidents, and two building permits, though these numbers may reflect both the property's age and the general urban environment of San Francisco.

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

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Risk rating

How 21 Buena Vista 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
94th percentile

Out of 351 buildings in this neighborhood, 21 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
92%
No DBI
violation
8%
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.

Building size

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

Building age

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

Owner's portfolio size

Number of SF parcels this owner is registered on — larger portfolios have distinct risk patterns.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 85.4%
Moderate concern 11.3%
Severe concern 3.3%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

21 Buena Vista Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

21 Buena Vista Ave event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 31
Parking on sidewalk
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestJul 31
Parking on sidewalk

See all 10 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 21 Buena Vista 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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