Free SF apartment background check

522-526 Lake St

Lake Street, SF 94118 1352020 3 units · 3 fl · 1908

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model sees a moderate chance of more in the next 12 months. A few records worth reading before you sign. Check whether they were closed out, and ask what was actually fixed.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Lake Street — not a forecast
Above average
avg 0.6
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), above the Lake Street average of 0.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 522-526 Lake 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 1908
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM2
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 1908
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
Floors3
Year built1908
Total area5,640 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1352020
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
P.o. Box 1685 Rancho Mirage CA 92270
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

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

524 Lake St, San Francisco, CA 94118
526 Lake St, San Francisco, CA 94118
522 Lake St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 522-526 Lake Street is a three-unit, three-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1908, currently owned by Gregory C Germano. The building has undergone extensive renovations in recent years, particularly in 2022-2024, with multiple significant improvement projects including kitchen and bathroom remodels, electrical upgrades, and plumbing improvements. The most recent work, completed in 2024, included the installation of 400a single phase metering system for all three units, rewiring from knob-and-tube to modern standards, new smoke detectors, and bathroom renovations. These improvements followed several building code violations and complaints in 2022-2023 related to unauthorized work, safety concerns, and construction hours violations, which were subsequently addressed through proper permitting and completion of required upgrades.

The building's maintenance history shows attention to critical systems, including a complete sewer line replacement in 2016, furnace installation, and comprehensive electrical system upgrades. Historical records from 2001 indicate previous safety concerns that were resolved, including stair repairs and security improvements. Fire incident records show several alarm activations, but these were primarily due to system malfunctions rather than actual fires or emergencies. Recent tenant complaints have primarily focused on construction-related issues and some noise disturbances related to garbage collection, though these appear to have been addressed through proper channels. The property has maintained its multi-family residential classification and has generally followed appropriate permitting processes for recent renovations, suggesting improved compliance with building codes and regulations.

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

Free account unlocks the full analysis — plus 2× more records across all data categories and the complete landlord portfolio.
Risk rating

How 522-526 Lake 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
9thpercentile

Out of 660 buildings in this neighborhood, 601 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
51%
No DBI
violation
49%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

DBI complaints, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 49%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

522-526 Lake St apartment reviews

Real experiences from people who have lived here. Share yours to help other renters decide.

Share your experience — Help other renters by leaving an honest apartment review

Loading reviews…

On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

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

The story over time

522-526 Lake St event timeline

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

2025
Plumbing Permit Jan 22
Ref pw20230913121- for final inspection for one full bathroom and laundry room
Expired

See all 22 events

Full history back to 2019 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 522-526 Lake St apartments

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

Side by side

How 522-526 Lake St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Lake Street. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

Loading comparables…
Still apartment hunting in SF?

Look up the next apartment before you sign

Search any SF address free — no account needed to see the risk rating.

Simple pricing

Get the complete picture

Every plan unlocks the complete report: all 13 SF datasets, full history, landlord portfolio, and PDF & Excel exports.

Pay once

Report Bundle

For the buildings you're deciding on right now

$10one time

3premium reports

$3.33 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 3 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them
Pay once

Apartment Hunter

For a wide search across many buildings

$39one time

30premium reports

$1.30 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 30 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them

Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

Watch 522-526 Lake St
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.