Free SF apartment background check

501 38Th Ave

Outer Richmond, SF 94121 1506001 18 units · 3 fl · 1926

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 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 501 38Th 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 1926
2 or more units
18 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.

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 1926
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
Local rent control likely takes priority. This building appears to fall under the local ordinance above, which is stronger than AB 1482. Where a local just-cause ordinance applies, its rules govern instead of the state cap.

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
Units18
Floors3
Year built1926
Total area15,150 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1506001
Ownership

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

Mailing address
510 Chotem Ct,saskatoon Sk Canada 57N M4
Last sale
062012

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 18-unit, three-story multi-family residential building at 501 38th Avenue in the Outer Richmond, owned by 1926 Trophy Building Inc, has undergone several significant improvements since its construction in 1926. Most notably, the building completed a mandatory seismic retrofit in 2016 (Tier 2) and an upgraded fire alarm system in 2017, with associated electrical work completed the same year. The building has seen ongoing maintenance and upgrades, including a comprehensive window replacement project in 2011 (replacing 147 windows with energy-efficient options), foundation work in 2009, and various interior renovations.

Recent concerns include a sleeping area requirement violation issued in December 2023 that remains open, and historical issues with water damage and mold between 2015-2016, bed bug infestation in 2010, and black mold in 2015. The property has experienced recurring issues with garbage and debris removal, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls for abandoned waste in late 2024/early 2025. Fire safety has been an area of attention, with violations recorded in 2017 regarding exit signs, extinguishers, and the alarm system, though these were subsequently abated. The building's maintenance history shows regular attention to both safety compliance and general upkeep, including work on handrails, common areas, and individual units as needed.

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

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Risk rating

How 501 38Th 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 1040 buildings in this neighborhood, 978 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
40%
No DBI
violation
60%
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.

Building size

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

Number of units

The number of units affects how the model reads complaint and violation totals — more units means more potential sources.

Neighborhood location

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 24.8%
Moderate concern 46.4%
Severe concern 28.8%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

501 38Th Ave apartment reviews

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The story over time

501 38Th Ave event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 21
Garbage and debris
other loose garbage debris yard waste
311 RequestJul 21
Garbage and debris

See all 10 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 501 38Th 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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