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5501-5503 California St

Central Richmond, SF 94121 1416047 3 units · 1 fl · 1910

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. 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
At or below average
avg 0.5
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Central Richmond average of 0.5.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 5501-5503 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 1910
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
NC1
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 1910
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
Units3
Floors1
Year built1910
Total area1,892 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1416047
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Bruce & Belle Bike Yunn Lam 5726 California St San Francisco CA 94121
Last sale
000000

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

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

5503 California St, San Francisco, CA 94121
5501 California St, San Francisco, CA 94121
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 5501-5503 California Street is a mixed-use building in the Central Richmond neighborhood, containing 3 residential units above ground-floor commercial spaces, owned by 5501 California St LLC. Built in 1910, this one-story building has undergone several maintenance and improvement projects over the years, with the most recent being a filed permit in September 2024 to comply with the ABE program. In 2022, significant exterior maintenance was performed with the replacement of exterior siding on the front wall facing 17th Avenue, costing $9,500. The building's storefront area has seen multiple improvements, particularly during 2008-2009, including the connection of two existing storefronts, installation of new exterior trim and awnings, and associated plumbing modifications for commercial equipment totaling approximately $8,000.

Recent activity around the property has primarily consisted of permit filings and maintenance issues, with no major structural changes or violations reported in recent years. The building's history includes a notable issue in 2012 regarding unauthorized use of the rear yard and fence height concerns, though this was subsequently addressed and abated. The property has maintained active commercial uses, including a limited restaurant and take-out establishment, with various improvements made to comply with current standards. Recent 311 calls around the property (2024) have primarily involved parking-related issues and minor municipal matters, though these do not directly reflect on the building's condition or management. Two attempts to modify the rear yard area (one approved, one disapproved) indicate previous interest in expanding the building's footprint or modifying its site layout, though these proposals were not ultimately completed.

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

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Risk rating

How 5501-5503 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

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
15th percentile

Out of 2250 buildings in this neighborhood, 1912 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
66%
No DBI
violation
34%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

Property class: apartment building

Apartment building — this property classification influences expected violation rates.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 65.2%
Moderate concern 26.9%
Severe concern 7.9%
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

5501-5503 California St event timeline

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

2024
Building Permit Sep 25
To comply with the abe program abe#201811292684
$1,000 · Filed
Planning RecordSep 25
To comply with ABE program new ADA push button.

See all 5 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 5501-5503 California St apartments

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

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