Free SF apartment background check

3944 Geary Blvd

Inner Richmond, SF 94118 1435019 2 units · 2 fl · 1900

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 3944 Geary Blvd 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 1900
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
NC3
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
Units2
Floors2
Year built1900
Total area3,610 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1435019
Ownership

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

Owner name
Cheng Mary
Mailing address
490 Post St Ste 711 San Francisco CA 94102
Last sale
040506

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.

3944 A Geary Blvd #upper, San Francisco, CA 94118
3944 Geary Blvd #lower, San Francisco, CA 94118
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 3944 Geary Blvd is a two-story, mixed-use building located in San Francisco's Inner Richmond neighborhood, containing both residential (2 units) and commercial space. Built in 1900 and currently owned by Mary Cheng, the building has undergone numerous changes and improvements over the years, with the most recent significant work occurring in late 2023, including accessible entrance improvements (completed in November 2023) and plumbing upgrades replacing ABS drain pipes with copper piping ($8,000) along with corresponding electrical work for switch and outlet replacements. The lower unit of the building has been home to a restaurant (Teruya Ramen) and, more recently, underwent equipment installation improvements in 2023, while the upper unit has had a contentious history regarding its use as a personal service establishment versus a massage establishment.

The building's history reveals some regulatory challenges, particularly in 2019 when multiple signs and awnings required legalization, affecting both the beauty salon (U2 Beauty Health Center) and restaurant businesses. The property has experienced periodic vacancy issues, with active complaints about the commercial space remaining unresolved as recently as October 2023. In terms of infrastructure, the building received significant electrical system upgrades in 2006 with a 200-amp service installation, and more recent plumbing and electrical work in 2023 suggests ongoing maintenance and improvements to the building's systems. The property has maintained compliance with various city regulations, though there were past instances of unauthorized work related to fire sprinklers and sidewalk modifications in 2006 that were subsequently resolved. The building's commercial space has generated multiple 311 calls throughout 2023-2024 regarding general maintenance issues like debris and pavement defects on the surrounding sidewalk areas, though these appear to be related to shared public spaces rather than building-specific problems.

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

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Risk rating

How 3944 Geary Blvd'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
33th percentile

Out of 1723 buildings in this neighborhood, 1154 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
77%
No DBI
violation
23%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

Property class: apartment building

Apartment building — this property classification influences expected violation rates.

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 53.8%
Moderate concern 40.5%
Severe concern 5.7%
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

3944 Geary Blvd event timeline

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

2025
Building Permit Dec 23
Install (n) sign a for teawood cafe facing street non illuminated
$2,000 · Complete
Planning RecordDec 23
New wall sign meeting PC Section 607. (dba. Tea Wood Cafe).

See all 13 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 3944 Geary Blvd apartments

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

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