Free SF apartment background check

261 5Th Ave

Inner Richmond, SF 94118 1428013 3 units · 3 fl · 1988

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 Inner Richmond — not a forecast
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 261 5Th 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 1988
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
Not rent-controlled. Buildings constructed after 1978 are generally exempt from SF rent increase limits under the Costa-Hawkins Act.

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 1988
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
May be covered by AB 1482. The building is old enough for the statewide rent cap (5% + regional CPI, capped at 10% per year) and just-cause protection after 12 months of tenancy.

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
Floors3
Year built1988
Total area3,950 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1428013
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
261 5th Ave Apt 2 San Francisco CA 94118
Last sale
May 05, 1988

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit, three-story multi-family residential building at 261 5th Avenue in the Inner Richmond district, owned by the Gin Family Trust, was constructed in 1988 after a complete demolition of the previous residential structure in October 1986. The building's construction involved multiple permits, including ground floor remodels and first-floor additions in late 1987, though some permits from 1986-1987 related to structural revisions and a fire sprinkler system installation were either expired or cancelled.

The property has undergone regular housing inspections in 1999, 2004, and 2016, with no active violations noted in the records. While the building itself shows no significant recurring issues, the surrounding area has experienced periodic maintenance challenges as evidenced by multiple 311 calls over the years. Between 2009 and 2023, there were several reports of graffiti on nearby poles and trees, though these were typically resolved promptly. The most recent incidents have primarily involved street cleaning matters, with the latest report in July 2023 concerning human or animal waste. Notably, there was a cluster of general cleaning complaints in late 2022, with some cases indicating difficulty in locating the reported waste. The building's permit and complaint history suggests proper maintenance of the structure itself, with most issues being related to public space rather than the building's internal systems or conditions.

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

Free account unlocks the full analysis — plus 2× more records across all data categories and the complete landlord portfolio.
Risk rating

How 261 5Th 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
91stpercentile

Out of 1723 buildings in this neighborhood, 155 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
91%
No DBI
violation
9%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

Notices of Violation, owner's portfolio

DBI NOVs across all buildings this owner is registered on — a signal of systemic maintenance issues across the portfolio.

Director's hearings, owner's portfolio

Escalated DBI enforcement actions across all of this owner's buildings.

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 9%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

261 5Th Ave apartment reviews

Real experiences from people who have lived here. Share yours to help other renters decide.

Share your experience — Help other renters by leaving an honest apartment review

Create account

Loading reviews…

On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

This building and nearby alternatives, color-coded by risk level. Click any marker to explore.

Buildings nearby
8 found
The story over time

261 5Th Ave event timeline

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

No dated public records on file yet.
Every record we have

Full data for 261 5Th Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 261 5Th Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Inner Richmond. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

Loading comparables…
Still apartment hunting in SF?

Look up the next apartment before you sign

Search any SF address free — no account needed to see the risk rating.

Search another address Get full report
Simple pricing

Get the complete picture

Every plan unlocks the complete report: all 13 SF datasets, full history, landlord portfolio, and PDF & Excel exports.

Pay once

Report Bundle

For the buildings you're deciding on right now

$10one time

3premium reports

$3.33 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 3 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them
Buy 3 Reports — $10
Pay once

Apartment Hunter

For a wide search across many buildings

$39one time

30premium reports

$1.30 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 30 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them
Buy 30 Reports — $39
Most Popular Current plan
Subscription

Renter

For the weeks when the stakes are highest

$8.33/mo

5premium reports / mo

Billed $100/year — save $44 vs monthly

Renews automatically until you cancel.

  • Unlimited standard reports — 50 records per dataset
  • 5 premium AI reports per month — live data, 200 records per dataset, all 27 record types
  • PDF & Excel exports on every report
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Full event timeline — every year of history
  • Landlord portfolio & ownership insights
Start Your Search

Less than $0.28/day. Cancel anytime.

Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

Watch 261 5Th Ave
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.