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551-553 42Nd Ave

Outer Richmond, SF 94121 1502005C 2 units · 3 fl · 1947

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 Outer Richmond
At or below average
avg 0.7
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Outer Richmond average of 0.7.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 551-553 42Nd 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 1947
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
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
Floors3
Year built1947
Total area1,944 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot1502005C
Ownership

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

Owner name
Borchardt Paul E & Gao Chua
Mailing address
551-553 42nd Ave San Francisco CA 94121
Last sale
061108

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.

553 42nd Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
551 42nd Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story building at 551-553 42nd Avenue in the Outer Richmond, owned by Paul E Borchardt and Chua Gao, is a two-unit multi-family residential structure built in 1947. The property has undergone several significant improvements over the past two decades, with a particular focus on seismic safety and energy efficiency. Between 2008-2009, the building underwent substantial seismic strengthening, including voluntary non-engineered substructural work, followed by the installation of a steel moment frame in the lower level garage, demonstrating the owners' commitment to structural safety. More recent upgrades include the replacement of two gravity furnaces with 95% efficient forced air systems in 2018, and the installation of a grey water subsurface irrigation system and rainwater catchment system in 2016, indicating a dedication to modern sustainability practices.

Notable improvements to resident comfort and aesthetics include the 2010 replacement of seven street-visible windows with vinyl double-pane alternatives, and a 2003 kitchen remodel on the third floor. The building has experienced two complaint incidents related to unauthorized construction work, one in 2003 regarding extensive interior remodeling and bedroom addition, and another in 2007 concerning unpermitted work, though both issues were resolved promptly. Recent maintenance history shows regular attention to the building's needs, with no current active complaints or violations. The property has experienced recurring issues with sidewalk parking, with three incidents reported between 2018-2022, though none resulted in enforcement action as officers were unable to locate the offending vehicles.

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

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Risk rating

How 551-553 42Nd 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
38th percentile

Out of 1040 buildings in this neighborhood, 645 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
82%
No DBI
violation
18%
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.

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

Construction spend, owner's portfolio

Estimated permit value across all of this owner's buildings.

Building permits, owner's portfolio

Permits pulled across all of this owner's buildings over 7 years.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 76.7%
Moderate concern 15.6%
Severe concern 7.7%
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

551-553 42Nd Ave event timeline

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

2026
Plumbing Permit Jun 03
Work category: 2pa; bathroom remodel; shower, lav, toilet. kitchen remodel; sink moving slightly. adding shutoff in cabinet for stove gas.
Issued
Building PermitMay 04
In-kind remodeling of 1 kitchen(s) in 3rd fl and in-kind remodeling of 1 bathroom(s) in 3rd fl with 1 shower pan(s).

See all 4 events

Full history back to 2026 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 551-553 42Nd Ave apartments

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

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