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159 19Th Ave

Lake Street, SF 94121 1379010 12 units · 3 fl · 1931

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 159 19Th 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 1931
2 or more units
12 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 1931
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
Units12
Floors3
Year built1931
Total area13,278 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1379010
Ownership

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

Mailing address
David Gruber 119 17Th Ave 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 12-unit, three-story apartment building at 159 19th Ave, built in 1931, has undergone several significant maintenance and safety upgrades in recent years. Most notably, in 2023, the building received an important fire alarm system upgrade to comply with AB-3.08, including the addition of power supply and low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas, demonstrating commitment to resident safety. Previous improvements include substantial renovation work in 2020 to Unit #6 ($18,000) involving kitchen and bathroom upgrades, and a major electrical system upgrade in 2003 that included a new 400-amp service and circuit breaker panel replacement. The building has a documented history of addressing fire safety concerns, with violations and complaints from 2000 and 2008 related to fire proofing, combustible storage, and other safety requirements, all of which were abated. A fire exit maintenance issue was reported and corrected in 2019. The property has maintained compliance with regular inspections, though there was one incident in 2010 regarding an expired boiler permit that was promptly addressed within two months.

Recent 311 calls related to the property have primarily concerned external issues such as street cleaning and abandoned vehicle reports, rather than building-specific problems. The most recent building permits and improvements suggest ongoing maintenance and upgrading of systems to meet current codes and standards, with fire safety being a particular focus in recent years. The building's permit history shows regular maintenance and unit improvements over the years, with particular attention paid to both fire safety systems and individual unit upgrades as evidenced by the various permits and completed work.

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

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Risk rating

How 159 19Th 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
7thpercentile

Out of 660 buildings in this neighborhood, 614 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
44%
No DBI
violation
56%
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 size

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

Number of units

The number of units affects how the model reads complaint and violation totals — more units means more potential sources.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 56%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

159 19Th Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

159 19Th Ave event timeline

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

2023
Electrical Permit Oct 13
Ab 3.08 upgrade of building fire alarm system to add power supply and 30 low frequency sounders to sleeping areas.
Complete
Building PermitJun 30
Upgrade wxisting fire alarm system to comply with ab-3.08- addition of power supply and 24-low frequency sounders to all sleeping areas of building.

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2020 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 159 19Th Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 159 19Th Ave 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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