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396 27Th Ave

Central Richmond, SF 94121 1407023 4 units · 2 fl · 1923

This building has more problems than most buildings in this neighborhood. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Central Richmond
Above average
avg 0.5
5
FewerMore

This building has 5 novs (7y), above the Central Richmond average of 0.5.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 396 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 1923
2 or more units
4 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.

Building characteristics
Units4
Floors2
Year built1923
Total area3,404 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1407023
Ownership

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

Owner name
King C & Loretta Y Lau 2003
Mailing address
King C & Loretta Y Lau, Tru 1340 Grant Ave San Francisco CA 94133
Last sale
000000

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-story, four-unit apartment building at 396 27th Avenue in San Francisco's Central Richmond district was constructed in 1923 and is currently owned by King C & Loretta Y Lau, who acquired it in 2003. The property has undergone several notable improvements and faced various maintenance challenges over the years. Among the documented building permits, there was a sidewalk repair in 2003 and the installation of aluminum windows in 1986. The building has experienced multiple violations, with the most significant cluster occurring in 2016, when the property was cited for issues including termite infestation, damaged window frames and sills, lead paint concerns, and required interior surface repairs. Earlier violations from 2001 highlighted safety concerns, including the need for a gas shutoff tool and smoke detectors, though these were all abated by September 2001.

Recent records from 2023-2024 show ongoing challenges with street maintenance and parking enforcement around the property, though these are not directly related to the building's condition. There have been multiple reports of garbage and debris, with several incidents of abandoned furniture and other waste documented between July 2024 and March 2024. Parking issues have also been reported frequently, with several citations issued for driveway blocking and illegal parking on sidewalks, particularly noteworthy in recent months. While these external issues do not directly reflect on the building's quality, they may impact the overall resident experience in terms of access and neighborhood maintenance. The most recent historical complaint on record is from 2008, which was resolved through routine inspection.

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

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Risk rating

How 396 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

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
24th percentile

Out of 2250 buildings in this neighborhood, 1710 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
75%
No DBI
violation
25%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

DBI complaint rate, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 69.1%
Moderate concern 19.3%
Severe concern 11.7%
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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The story over time

396 27Th Ave event timeline

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

2025
311 Request May 04
Blocking driveway cite tow
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestJan 05
Blocking driveway cite only

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 396 27Th 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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