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251-253 27Th Ave

Sea Cliff, SF 94121 1387010 5 units · 2 fl · 1971

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model puts this building at a low 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 Sea Cliff — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 0.8
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Sea Cliff average of 0.8.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 251-253 27Th 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 1971
2 or more units
5 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 1971
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
Units5
Floors2
Year built1971
Total area5,208 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1387010
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Cherissa Chew Tom 830 Lake Front Dr Sacramento CA 95831
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.

251 27th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
253 27th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 5-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building at 251-253 27th Avenue in the Sea Cliff neighborhood, owned by Ng Trust and constructed in 1971, has undergone several significant improvements in recent years, with the most substantial being a mandatory soft-story retrofit completed in 2019-2020 at a cost of $75,000, bringing the building into compliance with seismic safety requirements. The building has received regular maintenance and upgrades, including a complete kitchen and bathroom remodel in Unit 251 (2024), emergency fire panel replacement (2011), reroofing work (2001), and comprehensive fire safety improvements including a new fire alarm system with low-frequency sounders and device upgrades (2023). Of particular note is a concerning water intrusion and mold issue reported in January 2022 in Unit 1, which was documented by Housing Inspection Services.

The building's historical records show a cluster of fire safety violations in early 2001 involving egress obstructions, gas shutoff tool requirements, alarm system repairs, combustible storage issues, and fire proofing concerns - all of which were resolved by March 2001. Recent improvements suggest active management attention to building maintenance and safety systems, including the relocation of unit electrical panels out of closets (2024) and updates to the fire alarm system (2023). The property has experienced recurring issues with illegal parking and sidewalk obstruction in the surrounding area, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls between 2021 and 2024, though these are external to the building itself. The building's soft-story retrofit work has been properly completed and certified, indicating compliance with current seismic safety standards.

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

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Risk rating

How 251-253 27Th 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
75thpercentile

Out of 20 buildings in this neighborhood, 5 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.

Number of units

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

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building NOV rate across everything this owner manages — high rates signal pattern neglect.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

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

251-253 27Th Ave apartment reviews

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The story over time

251-253 27Th Ave event timeline

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

2025
Building Permit May 27
Upgrade existing fire alarm system to comply with sffc section 1103,7.6.1 to meet 75 db in all sleeping areas
$19,700 · Complete

See all 11 events

Full history back to 2019 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 251-253 27Th Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 251-253 27Th Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Sea Cliff. 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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