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40-42 Parnassus Ave

Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights, SF 94117 1271016 2 units · 2 fl · 1900

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. A handful of unresolved issues. Worth a careful walk-through and pointed questions.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights
Above average
avg 0.9
16
FewerMore

This building has 16 novs (7y), above the Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights average of 0.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 40-42 Parnassus 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
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 area3,000 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot1271016
Ownership

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

Owner name
Esther M Harmon Revocable T
Mailing address
Harmon Esther M,trustee 42 Parnassus Ave San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
000000

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.

42 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117
40 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 40-42 Parnassus Avenue is a two-unit, two-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1900, currently owned by the Esther M Harmon Revocable Trust. The building has experienced several significant maintenance and safety issues in recent years, with the most pressing concerns emerging in 2024. These include serious electrical hazards with exposed wires, water damage affecting electrical systems, and mold problems. A notable incident occurred in August 2024 when water leakage was reported affecting bathroom walls, basement areas, and electrical wires, leading to multiple permits for repairs that were completed in September 2024, including bathroom remodeling and electrical work. The building previously faced multiple violations in 2021 relating to safety and security issues, including blocked exits, faulty locks, security requirements violations, and a rodent infestation, all of which were officially abated by June 2021.

More recent complaints from late 2024 indicate ongoing concerns, including construction-related dust issues, a potentially unaddressed mold problem, and outdated electrical systems. The property has undergone various repairs and improvements over the years, including gas line replacement in 2020 and an electrical upgrade in 2013 that unfortunately expired. Additionally, there have been several documented security concerns, particularly regarding door locks, which have been a recurring issue as evidenced by tenant complaints and violation notices. Recent building permits from 2024 show active efforts to address these ongoing maintenance challenges, though some issues persist according to tenant reports. The property's history suggests a pattern of reactive maintenance rather than proactive property management, with multiple violations requiring correction and ongoing maintenance issues that continue to affect resident comfort and safety.

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

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Risk rating

How 40-42 Parnassus 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
10th percentile

Out of 526 buildings in this neighborhood, 473 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
45%
No DBI
violation
55%
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.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building NOV rate across everything this owner manages — high rates signal pattern neglect.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

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 13.5%
Moderate concern 31.1%
Severe concern 55.4%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

40-42 Parnassus Ave apartment reviews

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The story over time

40-42 Parnassus Ave event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint May 21
"these are the utility poles located in the back yard. caller believes they are att property. the pole in the backyard of 40 parnassus seems to be deteriorated and may fall. the pole in the backyard of 50 parnassus is covered in ivy and caller believes the extra weight could bring that pole down." this was previously reported to sfpuc who rejected the case as they are on private property. we would therefore like to ask for code enforcement as these poles are structurally defected. please note, these are active phone lines still in use today, that still provide at&t service to buildings on this block. did at&t have an easement here or one of their predecessor companies? there indeed is no direct access now from the street to these poles. but at one time before all the buildings were built up here, i think there may have been an access easement for that line.
Housing Inspection Services

See all 16 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 40-42 Parnassus Ave apartments

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

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