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5010 California St

Lake Street, SF 94118 1372020 6 units · 3 fl · 1926

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 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 5010 California 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 1926
2 or more units
6 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM3
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 1926
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
Floors3
Year built1926
Total area5,895 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1372020
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Sang & Wai Fong Tom, Truste 454 22Nd Ave Apt 4 San Francisco CA 94121
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, 3-story apartment building at 5010 California Street in the Lake-Presidio neighborhood, owned by Sang & Wai Fong Tom 1990 Re, was constructed in 1926 and has undergone several significant improvements over the years. Most notably, in 2014, the building completed mandatory soft-story retrofitting work valued at $29,850, which included the installation of plywood walls in the basement, a new steel beam, and new footings, along with the relocation and proper installation of two 50-gallon gas water heaters in the garage. The building has a documented history of fire safety issues, particularly in 2003 when multiple violations were identified regarding the fire escape drop ladder maintenance and central alarm system functionality, though all these violations were resolved by July 2003. Other important maintenance work includes roof replacement in 2008 ($7,000) and window replacements in 2005 (units 1, 3 & 5). The building's recent history shows relatively few internal issues, with only routine inspections recorded in 1996, 2003, and 2008, all of which were promptly resolved.

The property has experienced several exterior issues noted through 311 calls, including illegal postings (2020), graffiti (2018), and loose garbage (2020), though these were primarily related to building surroundings and not internal conditions. The most recent concerns include a noise complaint from November 2023 and a parking enforcement call from January 2025, neither of which directly impacts building safety or habitability. The building's soft-story retrofit was completed and certified, placing it in Tier 3 status with "Work Complete, CFC Issued," indicating compliance with San Francisco's earthquake safety requirements. The property has maintained its active status under the Re new ownership since 1990, with no recent building or fire violations reported, suggesting improved maintenance standards in recent years.

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

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Risk rating

How 5010 California 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
11thpercentile

Out of 660 buildings in this neighborhood, 587 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
57%
No DBI
violation
43%
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 size

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

Neighborhood location

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 43%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

5010 California St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

5010 California St event timeline

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

No dated public records on file yet.
Every record we have

Full data for 5010 California St apartments

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

Side by side

How 5010 California St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Lake Street. 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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