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905 Ashbury St

Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights, SF 94117 1269022 4 units · 3 fl · 1906

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model predicts a high risk of further maintenance problems in the next 12 months. A few records worth reading before you sign. Check whether they were closed out, and ask what was actually fixed.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 1.6
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), at or below the Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights average of 1.6.

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 905 Ashbury 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 1906
2 or more units
4 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 1906
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
Units4
Floors3
Year built1906
Total area3,597 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot1269022
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
905 Ashbury St San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
September 16, 2004

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story, 4-unit apartment building at 905 Ashbury Street in the Buena Vista Park neighborhood, owned by Eric Roussel, has a long history of maintenance issues and regulatory violations dating back to its 1906 construction. Most notably, there are serious current concerns about unauthorized modifications and illegal short-term rentals, with a January 2024 complaint alleging the conversion of a bedroom closet into an unauthorized unit with plumbing and the illegal accommodation of 21 guests across five Airbnb listings, in violation of the RH-3 zoning designation. The property has undergone several important safety improvements, including a $120,000 mandatory soft-story retrofit completed in 2023, and various stairway repairs including a 2018 emergency post replacement. The building has experienced multiple maintenance and safety issues over the years, including a 2017 incident involving a staircase fire and defective railing that injured a guest, documented complaints about garbage management in 2018, and various interior repairs required in 2002 related to water damage, security doors, and interior surfaces. Prior unauthorized modifications were proposed in 2008 to convert living spaces into a garage, and there have been historical concerns about illegal basement units, group housing violations, and inadequate fire safety measures. The property has maintained active responses to citations and complaints, with most historical violations having been abated, though recent concerns about unauthorized unit additions and short-term rentals remain under review.

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

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Risk rating

How 905 Ashbury 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
5thpercentile

Out of 351 buildings in this neighborhood, 333 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
32%
No DBI
violation
68%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

Director's hearing rate, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 68%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

905 Ashbury St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

905 Ashbury St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Aug 01
Garbage and debris
other bagged boxed contained garbage
Building PermitApr 03
Revision 201709158471- document and admin permit to allow correction of archictectural plans. no work to be done.

See all 5 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 905 Ashbury St apartments

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

Side by side

How 905 Ashbury St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights. 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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