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230 12Th Ave

Inner Richmond, SF 94118 1422045 15 units · 3 fl · 1963

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 Inner Richmond
At or below average
avg 0.9
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Inner Richmond average of 0.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 230 12Th 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 1963
2 or more units
15 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.

Building characteristics
Units15
Floors3
Year built1963
Total area12,081 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1422045
Ownership

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

Owner name
Lui Fred Y H & Betty
Mailing address
160 San Anselmo Ave San Francisco CA 94127
Last sale
050500

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 15-unit apartment building at 230 12th Avenue in San Francisco's Inner Richmond district, owned by Fred Y H & Betty Lui, has undergone several significant improvements and maintenance work since its construction in 1963. Most notably, the building completed its mandatory soft-story retrofit in 2015 at a cost of $150,000, achieving compliance with seismic safety requirements. Recent renovations include comprehensive upgrades to individual units, with Unit 103 receiving a $32,000 kitchen and bathroom remodel in 2019, and Unit 12 undergoing similar improvements in 2018. The building has also seen major infrastructure upgrades, including a full window replacement project in 2017 ($100,000) and reroofing work in the same year ($11,000). A fire safety upgrade in 2013 improved the fire alarm system with new smoke detectors, bells, and elevator recall functionality.

The property has experienced periodic fire safety issues, particularly in 2002-2003, when multiple violations were recorded regarding fire escapes, storage, and equipment maintenance - all of which were subsequently abated. More recent fire-related complaints have generally been resolved promptly, with the most recent occurring in March 2024 regarding alarm systems. The building has maintained an active maintenance schedule, addressing individual unit needs through various remodels, including electrical and plumbing upgrades. Routine inspections have been conducted regularly, with the most notable issues focusing on fire safety systems and elevator functionality, though these problems have been addressed in a timely manner. The property's recent maintenance history shows consistent investment in building upgrades, including modernizing safety systems and maintaining infrastructure, suggesting active management of the property and its systems.

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

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Risk rating

How 230 12Th 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
6th percentile

Out of 1723 buildings in this neighborhood, 1620 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
42%
No DBI
violation
58%
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.

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

Property class (A15)

The assessor's property-class code, which correlates with building type and the violation rates the model expects.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 27.6%
Moderate concern 53.9%
Severe concern 18.5%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

230 12Th Ave apartment reviews

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The story over time

230 12Th Ave event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint Mar 06
Date last observed: 05-mar-26; time last observed: 9:20am; identity of person performing the work: gaetani real estate; floor: 3; unit: 303; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling flues/vents defective; other building; ; additional information: constant secondhand smoke nuisance / inadequate ventilation. hazardous air infiltration in a recently remodeled unit (completed jan 2026). secondhand tobacco smoke is entering from unit 203 through an unsealed mechanical/plumbing chase in the heating closet, vents, electrical outlets, and doorframes. this constitutes a breach of habitability and a failure of the building's internal air-sealing (covenant of quiet enjoyment). management has been notified of the structural failure but has not provided a remediation plan to seal the unit.;
Housing Inspection Services
Building PermitFeb 02
Replace fire alarm system to meet sf/ca codes and add lf horns in all units and add wireless radio monitor.

See all 10 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 230 12Th 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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