Free SF apartment background check

228 Downey St

Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights, SF 94117 1269134 2 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
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 228 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
2 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
Units2
Floors2
Year built1900
Total area1,765 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1269134
Ownership

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

Owner name
L'Abbe Daniel Hector
Mailing address
548 Market St # 13776 San Francisco CA 94104
Last sale
011802

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-unit residential building at 228 Downey Street in Buena Vista Park, owned by Daniel Hector L'abbe and constructed in 1900, has undergone several significant maintenance and improvement projects over the past two decades, with the most recent work focusing on structural repairs. Notable recent improvements include a $35,000 dry rot repair completed in October 2024 and a small concrete repair with siding replacement initiated in August 2024. A substantial electrical upgrade was completed in September 2021, including the installation of a new 200-amp service. The building's maintenance history shows attention to structural integrity, with past projects including stair replacement and exterior maintenance.

The property has experienced some infrastructure challenges, most notably a serious plumbing issue in March 2000 involving sewage leaks, though this was promptly addressed within a day. A planning application for dormer additions and bathroom improvements is currently under review as of late 2024, indicating potential for further modernization. The building's location has generated multiple parking-related complaints in recent months (2024), with several citations issued for violations including driveway blocking and sidewalk parking, though these are external to the building's condition and maintenance. Historical records show various proposed modifications, including a 2015 plan for garage conversion and a 2004 roofing project, though some permits from previous years expired or were withdrawn without completion.

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

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Risk rating

How 228 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
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 age

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

Property class: multi-family flat

2–4 unit flats (class F) are a common SF building type with their own maintenance and complaint patterns.

Building permits, owner's portfolio

Permits pulled across all of this owner's buildings over 7 years.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 84.5%
Moderate concern 12.6%
Severe concern 2.9%
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

228 Downey St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request May 31
Blocking driveway cite only
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestApr 29
Blocking driveway cite only

See all 13 events

Full history back to 2020 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 228 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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