Free SF apartment background check

518 26Th Ave

Central Richmond, SF 94121 1519035 2 units · 2 fl · 1922

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 Central Richmond — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 0.5
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Central Richmond average of 0.5.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 518 26Th 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 1922
2 or more units
2 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 1922
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
Units2
Floors2
Year built1922
Total area2,820 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot1519035
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
518 26th Ave San Francisco CA 94121
Last sale
June 15, 1993

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 518 26th Avenue is a two-unit, two-story multi-family residential building located in San Francisco's Central Richmond neighborhood, constructed in 1922 and currently owned by Yu Sai Cheong. The building's permit history shows several significant improvements made in 1993, including a completed kitchen and bathroom remodel, a ground floor improvement with half bath addition, and a voluntary seismic upgrade, though the latter two permits have since expired. A construction-related complaint was filed in December 1994 regarding improper construction hours, though this was promptly resolved the same day.

The building has had three fire-related complaints filed between 2007 and 2011, all categorized as "Uncategorized Complaint" or "Unlicensed Auto Repair," but records indicate that conditions were corrected in each instance. More recent history from 2022 through 2024 shows a consistent pattern of street-related issues, primarily involving parking violations and debris, though these are external to the building itself. There have been multiple reports of garbage and debris (both resolved), three abandoned vehicle reports (all resolved), two sidewalk parking violations resulting in citations, and one driveway blocking incident with a citation issued in July 2021. A routine housing inspection complaint was filed in January 2017, though its resolution status is not clearly indicated in the records. The most recent service calls primarily relate to street cleaning and parking enforcement, suggesting ongoing neighborhood issues with parking compliance and sidewalk maintenance in the immediate vicinity of the building.

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 518 26Th 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
62ndpercentile

Out of 2250 buildings in this neighborhood, 855 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
85%
No DBI
violation
15%
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.

Construction spend, owner's portfolio

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

DBI complaint rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building complaint rate across the owner's portfolio.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 15%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

518 26Th 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

518 26Th Ave event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 17
General maintenance not in list above
Residential Building
311 RequestFeb 28
Garbage and debris

See all 3 events

Full history back to 2025 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 518 26Th Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 518 26Th Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Central 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 518 26Th Ave
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.