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173-175 Parnassus Ave

Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights, SF 94117 1276019 5 units · 2 fl · 1910

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 0.9
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights average of 0.9.

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 173-175 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 1910
2 or more units
5 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 1910
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
Units5
Floors2
Year built1910
Total area4,000 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1276019
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Steven H & Carmen L Woo, Tr 212 20Th Ave San Francisco CA 94121
Last sale
September 02, 2005

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

175 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117
173 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94117
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 173-175 Parnassus Avenue is a two-story, five-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1910, currently owned by Steven H & Carmen L Woo Rev. The building has undergone several significant infrastructure improvements in recent years, most notably completing its mandatory soft-story seismic retrofit in 2016 at a cost of $58,000, demonstrating compliance with safety requirements. Other major upgrades include a 200-amp electrical service upgrade in 2005, a roof replacement in 2006, and the addition of both first and second-floor decks (completed in 1997), though the deck construction initially occurred without permits. The building's maintenance history shows regular upkeep, with two routine housing inspections in 1998 and 2009 showing no outstanding issues.

Recent activity at the property has primarily involved external maintenance matters such as street cleaning (January 2025), parking enforcement (multiple cases throughout 2023-2024), and addressing sidewalk issues. There have been several reports of blocked driveways and graffiti in the surrounding area, as well as pavement defects noted and resolved in 2024. The building's soft-story program completion was classified as Tier 3, marking it as a significant seismic improvement. While the property has maintained good compliance with major building codes through its recent improvements, the neighborhood has experienced typical urban issues such as parking enforcement matters and street maintenance concerns, which have been documented through 311 calls.

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

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Risk rating

How 173-175 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

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
23rdpercentile

Out of 526 buildings in this neighborhood, 405 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
65%
No DBI
violation
35%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

Dollar value of permits pulled at this address — large recent spend can signal deferred-maintenance catch-up.

Building age

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 35%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

173-175 Parnassus Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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This building and nearby alternatives, color-coded by risk level. Click any marker to explore.

The story over time

173-175 Parnassus Ave event timeline

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

2023
311 Request Oct 25
Blocking driveway cite only
Red - Toyota corolla - 5vnd653
311 RequestAug 21
Blocking driveway cite only

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 173-175 Parnassus Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 173-175 Parnassus Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Cole Valley/Parnassus 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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