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254-256 5Th Ave

Inner Richmond, SF 94118 1429031A 4 units · 2 fl · 1906

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

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 254-256 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 1906
2 or more units
4 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
Units4
Floors2
Year built1906
Total area3,167 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1429031A
Ownership

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

Owner name
Lu Lucy Y
Mailing address
33 Balboa St San Francisco CA 94118
Last sale
080415

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.

256 A 05th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
254 A 05th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
256 05th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
254 05th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-story multi-family residential building at 254-256 5th Avenue in the Inner Richmond neighborhood, constructed in 1906 and containing 4 units, has a documented history of maintenance and some concerning issues that warrant attention. Most recently, in 2018, there was a documented case of mold in one unit that took approximately six months to abate. Prior to this, the building underwent several significant structural repairs, including dry rot remediation in 2008 costing $6,000, followed by additional work in 2014 totaling $2,500 as per a housing inspection report. The property has experienced multiple sewer-related incidents, with sewage backup and odor issues recorded in 2016-2017, though these were resolved by city services. The building's maintenance history shows attention to structural issues, but the presence of mold and sewer problems raises questions about the building's ongoing maintenance challenges.

The property has been subject to routine safety inspections, with 2015 marking one such occasion. While the building's most recent permit activity appears limited to minor repairs and documentation, the historical record indicates attention to both preventative maintenance (such as dry rot repairs) and response to specific issues (like the mold incident). Outside the building's structure, there have been several neighborhood service calls recorded between 2016 and 2022, primarily related to street cleaning, parking issues, and sidewalk accessibility - these are generally standard urban maintenance matters and don't directly reflect on the building's condition. The most serious documented issues involve the 2018 mold case and the 2016-2017 sewer incidents, which collectively suggest historical challenges with moisture management in the building.

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

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Risk rating

How 254-256 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

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
35th percentile

Out of 1723 buildings in this neighborhood, 1120 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
78%
No DBI
violation
22%
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.

Building age

Older buildings tend to have more maintenance challenges; SF's pre-1906 earthquake housing stock carries distinct risk.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 68.2%
Moderate concern 19.7%
Severe concern 12.1%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
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The story over time

254-256 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 254-256 5Th 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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