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178 12Th Ave

Lake Street, SF 94118 1371025 6 units · 2 fl · 1963

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 Lake Street — not a forecast
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.

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 178 12Th 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 1963
2 or more units
6 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 1963
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
Units6
Floors2
Year built1963
Total area4,342 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1371025
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Kim Heung Wong Trustee 1540 Sacramento St San Francisco CA 94109
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 6-unit multi-family residential building at 178 12th Ave, owned by Wong 1992 Survivors Trust, was constructed in 1963 and is classified as a 2-story apartment building. The property has undergone several significant improvements over the years, most notably completing a mandatory soft-story retrofit in 2017 at a cost of $70,000, demonstrating compliance with seismic safety regulations. Other major maintenance work includes reroofing projects in 2011 ($13,300) and 1997, along with termite damage repairs to rear exterior redwood sidings in 2004 ($7,500) and aluminum window installation in 1994.

The building had a concerning incident in 2008 involving multiple violations that were promptly addressed and abated within one month. These included security issues (inadequate deadbolt locks on rear/secondary doors), smoke detection deficiencies (missing central alarm system), and gas leaks. Regular housing inspections were conducted in 1996, 2002, and 2008, all showing compliance upon resolution of noted issues. More recently, there have been several complaints regarding parking enforcement (2020-2024) and some sanitation issues, including blocked driveways and garbage overflow, though these were primarily street-level matters. A sewer-related incident was reported and resolved in 2020, and the building's soft-story retrofit was completed to Tier 3 standards with a Certificate of Final Completion issued.

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

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Risk rating

How 178 12Th 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
24thpercentile

Out of 660 buildings in this neighborhood, 502 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
74%
No DBI
violation
26%
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.

Neighborhood location

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

Building age

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

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 26%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

178 12Th Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

178 12Th Ave event timeline

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

2025
Fire Complaint Dec 01
Blocked Exits
Condition Corrected

See all 1 events

Full history back to 2025 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 178 12Th Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 178 12Th Ave compares to the neighborhood

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

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