Free SF apartment background check

247-253 Downey St

Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights, SF 94117 1269123 4 units · 2 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
1
FewerMore

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

Rent & eviction protection

Is 247-253 Downey 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 1900
2 or more units
4 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
Units4
Floors2
Year built1900
Total area3,900 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1269123
Ownership

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

Owner name
Zimmerman Michael A
Mailing address
1644 Page St San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
030199

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.

247 Downey St, San Francisco, CA 94117
251 Downey St, San Francisco, CA 94117
249 Downey St, San Francisco, CA 94117
253 Downey St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-story multi-family residential building at 247-253 Downey Street, located in the Buena Vista Park neighborhood, was constructed in 1900 and contains four units. The property has undergone several significant maintenance and safety-related actions over the years, with the most recent major work being the replacement of a gas water heater in September 2022. The building has a notable history of violations and inspections, particularly focused on safety concerns. Between 2003 and 2017, multiple routine inspections identified various issues requiring attention, including the need for repairs to stairs and handrails, installation of self-closing devices on exterior doors, and provision of safety equipment such as gas utility shutoff tools - all of which were subsequently abated. In terms of recent infrastructure maintenance, there have been several plumbing permits issued in the past decade, including street space permits in 2010 and various routine maintenance matters.

The property's recent history from 2020 to 2024 shows attention to public safety and infrastructure, with multiple street space permits associated with sidewalk and right-of-way maintenance, though one permit violation was noted in October 2020 regarding a street space permit and path of travel issue. The building's location has experienced recurring issues with parking violations, particularly involving sidewalk blocking, with multiple citations issued between 2023 and 2024. Additionally, there have been some concerns with street cleanliness and general maintenance, as evidenced by 311 calls regarding garbage and debris in the vicinity. An inspection in 1996 and various regular audits indicate ongoing oversight and maintenance, while the most recent inspections and permits suggest continued attention to both building systems and compliance requirements.

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

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Risk rating

How 247-253 Downey 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

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
30th percentile

Out of 351 buildings in this neighborhood, 246 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
68%
No DBI
violation
32%
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.

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 48.7%
Moderate concern 20.6%
Severe concern 30.7%
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

247-253 Downey St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jun 12
Not offensive
sidewalk structure
311 RequestMay 14
Abandoned vehicle

See all 5 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 247-253 Downey St 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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