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175 21St Ave

Lake Street, SF 94121 1381012 18 units · 3 fl · 1965

This building has far more open problems than almost any other in the neighborhood. A handful of unresolved issues. Worth a careful walk-through and pointed questions.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Lake Street
Above average
avg 0.6
6
FewerMore

This building has 6 novs (7y), above the Lake Street average of 0.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 175 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 1965
2 or more units
18 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 1965
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
Units18
Floors3
Year built1965
Total area18,804 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1381012
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
268 Bush St #1688 San Francisco CA 94104
Last sale
033021

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 18-unit, three-story apartment building at 175 21st Avenue, built in 1965, has undergone significant recent maintenance and improvements, though some pressing concerns remain. Most notably, in November 2024, work commenced on shoring compromised balconies affecting multiple units (101, 103, 104, 105, 203, 204), suggesting ongoing structural concerns. The building has seen substantial unit upgrades over recent years, including washer/dryer installations in several units (102, 202, 203, 205) as part of modernization efforts. Other improvements include a complete reroofing in 2022 ($75,000), a significant fire alarm system upgrade in 2021 to comply with fire codes, and various unit renovations including kitchen and bathroom rehabilitations.

The property has experienced recurring sewer issues, with multiple 311 calls between 2014 and 2024 reporting sewage backup problems, and more recently in December 2024 involving human waste/urine and a sewer backup discharge. Three fire alarm system complaints were recorded between 2008 and 2017, all of which were resolved, and the building is classified as Tier 2 soft-story with completion of necessary work and issuance of a Certificate of Final Completion. The most recent major structural work, focusing on balcony safety, began in late 2024, while earlier improvements have included electrical system upgrades, plumbing work, and various interior unit modifications. A notable disturbance was reported in 2015 regarding excessive construction noise affecting neighboring residents, though this complaint is no longer active. A routine inspection in 2010 resulted in several violations related to fire proofing and gas shutoff tools, but these were abated by September 2010.

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

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Risk rating

How 175 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

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
2th percentile

Out of 660 buildings in this neighborhood, 647 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
31%
No DBI
violation
69%
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.

Building permits (past 7 years)

Number of permits pulled at this address — construction or renovation activity over 7 years.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 30.4%
Moderate concern 63.8%
Severe concern 5.8%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

175 21St Ave event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint Jul 13
Roof problem - alarm going off every minute
Housing Inspection Services
Building PermitJun 17
Remove and replace 400 sq ft of dry-rot and sidings on one exterior wall - not street visible.

See all 30 events

Full history back to 2022 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 175 21St 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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