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129-131 4Th Ave

Lake Street, SF 94118 1364005 4 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 Lake Street
At or below average
avg 0.6
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Lake Street average of 0.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 129-131 4Th 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
4 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 1900
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
Units4
Floors2
Year built1900
Total area3,370 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1364005
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Ferrell James G, Ferrell Ja 129A 4Th Ave San Francisco CA 94118
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.

131 04th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
129 04th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 129-131 4th Avenue is a two-story, four-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1900, currently owned by Lois Mary Keenan & Rog since 1998. The building has undergone substantial renovations in recent years, with multiple units receiving kitchen and bathroom updates between 2021 and 2022, including Unit #A in December 2022 ($13,000) and additional work in 2022 totaling approximately $41,000 across multiple permits. A significant infrastructure upgrade occurred in April 2023 with the installation of four forced air heating systems, following the replacement of water heaters for units 129, 131A, and 131 in late 2022. The building previously faced several safety and maintenance issues, notably during a December 2015 routine safety inspection that identified problems with combustible storage in the basement, wood stairs, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide alarms, and emergency exits, though all these violations were abated by June 2016. Earlier structural work included back stair repairs in 2016 and historical repairs to front stairs in the early 1990s.

The property has been active regarding parking-related issues, with numerous reported incidents of driveway blocking between 2022 and 2024, resulting in several citations. There were two tenant buyouts recorded at the property, with the most recent occurring at 129 4th Avenue in December 2017 for $41,000 affecting two tenants, while no buyouts were recorded for 131 4th Avenue. The building appears to be well-maintained currently, with no active violations or complaints on record as of the latest data, and recent improvements suggesting ongoing investment in property maintenance and infrastructure upgrades.

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

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Risk rating

How 129-131 4Th 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
66th percentile

Out of 660 buildings in this neighborhood, 224 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
86%
No DBI
violation
14%
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.

Building age

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

Notices of Violation, owner's portfolio

DBI NOVs across all buildings this owner is registered on — a signal of systemic maintenance issues across the portfolio.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 80.4%
Moderate concern 12.5%
Severe concern 7.1%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

129-131 4Th Ave apartment reviews

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The story over time

129-131 4Th Ave event timeline

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

2024
Electrical Permit May 07
Ref e202209142404- electrical for final inspection to complete bathroom remodel
Complete

See all 14 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 129-131 4Th Ave 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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