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238-242 Alma St

Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights, SF 94117 1282012 3 units · 2 fl · 1921

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years, and our model puts it at a low risk of maintenance problems over the next 12 months. 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.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 238-242 Alma 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 1921
2 or more units
3 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.

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 1921
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
Units3
Floors2
Year built1921
Total area2,745 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1282012
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
242 Alma St San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
April 27, 2012

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.

242 Alma St, San Francisco, CA 94117
238 Alma St, San Francisco, CA 94117
240 Alma St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit multi-family residential building at 238-242 Alma Street, owned by Daniel M. Rabin, has undergone significant renovations and faced several regulatory challenges since its construction in 1921. Most notably, from 2013-2018, there was a substantial rebuilding project of a backyard cottage that generated multiple code enforcement actions due to exceeding approved permit scope, ultimately resulting in a Notice of Violation (NOV) in October 2013. This violation was eventually abated in November 2018. The renovation period saw substantial improvements including kitchen and bathroom upgrades, electrical system improvements, and plumbing work, with the most recent major work being the replacement of a gas furnace and associated compliance updates in 2019. The property has maintained an active maintenance record, with regular updates to heating systems, electrical panels, and various unit improvements.

Recent maintenance history (2022-2024) primarily consists of exterior and common area upkeep, including multiple irrigation repairs, graffiti removal, and playground maintenance. The building has no active violations or complaints as of October 2023. The extensive renovation history shows the property has received significant investment in modernization and safety improvements, including the installation of tankless water heaters, radiant heating systems, and comprehensive electrical upgrades throughout the building. While the property faced challenges during its renovation period regarding permit compliance, these issues were ultimately resolved through proper channels, and there have been no similar violations in recent years.

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

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Risk rating

How 238-242 Alma 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
50thpercentile

Out of 526 buildings in this neighborhood, 263 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
76%
No DBI
violation
24%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 24%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

238-242 Alma St apartment reviews

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The story over time

238-242 Alma St event timeline

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

2026
Building Permit Apr 07
Re-roofing: remove and replace roofing material / existing roofing material (in-kind)
$15,000 · Complete

See all 1 events

Full history back to 2026 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 238-242 Alma St apartments

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

Side by side

How 238-242 Alma St 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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