Free SF apartment background check

101-109 21St Ave

Lake Street, SF 94121 1381001 10 units · 2 fl · 1917

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model predicts a high risk of further maintenance problems 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
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 101-109 21St 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 1917
2 or more units
10 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 1917
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
Units10
Floors2
Year built1917
Total area7,480 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1381001
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Claudette R Ford 524 24Th 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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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

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

109 21st Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
103 21st Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
101 21st Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
107 21st Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
105 21st Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-story, ten-unit multi-family residential building at 101-109 21st Avenue, built in 1917 and currently owned by Ford Trust, has undergone significant safety and infrastructure improvements in recent years. Most notably, in 2023, the building completed a comprehensive upgrade to its fire alarm system to comply with San Francisco Fire Code requirements, including the installation of low-frequency sounders in sleeping areas and new compatible devices. The building also completed a mandatory soft-story retrofit in 2017 to improve seismic safety, demonstrating compliance with San Francisco's building safety requirements. Electrical infrastructure improvements are ongoing, with a new main service disconnect installation scheduled for July 2024, following previous updates including kitchen rewiring work in 2020 and a new subpanel installation in 2023.

Recent maintenance issues have been documented, including leaks and water-related problems. In 2023, complaints were filed regarding mold, mildew, and window leaks, and more recently in September 2024, additional kitchen leak complaints were recorded. The building's history includes a set of violations from 2004 related to ventilation, fire safety, and plumbing issues, though these were all abated by June 2004. The property has maintained regular inspections and undergone various infrastructure improvements over the years, including a house trap replacement in 2021 and water service upgrades in 2018. Recent 311 calls between 2024-2025 primarily relate to parking enforcement and street cleaning issues outside the building, rather than internal building concerns. While a sprinkler/standpipe systems complaint was made in August 2023, it was determined to have "No Merit" or was "Condition Corrected" according to fire records.

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

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Risk rating

How 101-109 21St 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
4thpercentile

Out of 660 buildings in this neighborhood, 634 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
36%
No DBI
violation
64%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 64%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

101-109 21St Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

101-109 21St Ave event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 16
Blocking driveway cite only
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestJun 06
Landscaping

See all 19 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 101-109 21St Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 101-109 21St 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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