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5918 California St

Lake Street, SF 94121 1381016 2 units · 2 fl · 1914

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.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 5918 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 1914
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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 1914
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
Units2
Floors2
Year built1914
Total area2,350 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1381016
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Lim Robert Lee Trustee 579 20Th Ave San Francisco CA 94121
Last sale
July 07, 1987

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 5918 California Street is a two-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1914, currently owned by the Robert Lee Lim Family Trust. The two-story flats/duplex structure has undergone several maintenance improvements over the years, including a reroofing project in 2009 costing $5,200 and a garage door replacement in 2015 costing $600. A CO detector malfunction was the only fire-related incident on record, with no civilian injuries reported.

The building's recent history shows a significant number of parking-related issues, particularly between 2022 and 2024, with multiple cases of blocked driveways and illegal parking requiring enforcement response. Environmental maintenance concerns have also been documented, with several reports of garbage, debris, and loose waste on or near the property between 2022 and 2024, including a 2024 incident involving human waste or urine. In July 2022, a damaged side sewer vent cover was reported, though this issue appears to have been addressed or resolved. The property has maintained its core infrastructure through the appropriate permitting of necessary repairs, and while there have been various municipal service calls, these appear to be typical for a property of this age and type.

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

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Risk rating

How 5918 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
40thpercentile

Out of 660 buildings in this neighborhood, 396 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
81%
No DBI
violation
19%
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 age

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

Permit rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building permit rate across the owner's portfolio.

Neighborhood location

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

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 19%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

5918 California St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

5918 California St event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Dec 08
Blocking driveway cite tow
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestSep 29
Garbage and debris

See all 4 events

Full history back to 2024 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 5918 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 5918 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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