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457-459 21St Ave

Central Richmond, SF 94121 1523012 2 units · 4 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 Central Richmond
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 457-459 21St 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
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
Floors4
Year built1906
Total area4,767 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot1523012
Ownership

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

Owner name
Lin Henry & Hongmei
Mailing address
457 21st Ave San Francisco CA 94121
Last sale
121812

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.

457 21st Ave #lower, San Francisco, CA 94121
459 21st Ave #upper, San Francisco, CA 94121
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 457-459 21st Avenue in the Central Richmond neighborhood is a four-story, multi-family residential building constructed in 1906, currently owned by Lin Henry & Hongmei. The building underwent significant renovation and expansion between 2006 and 2008, including a $750,000 two-story vertical addition, rear extension, and garage construction that converted it from a single-family to a two-unit residence. During this period, the property received critical safety upgrades including the installation of a comprehensive NFPA 13 sprinkler system with 106 heads ($22,000), exterior fire bell connections, and various plumbing enhancements. The renovation project faced some challenges, including a complaint in January 2008 regarding unsafe scaffolding conditions and debris, though this was promptly addressed within one day, and a height-related concern filed in October 2007 that was resolved within two days.

Since the completion of the major renovations, the building's record has been relatively quiet, with no significant building code violations or major safety concerns reported. The property has undergone regular maintenance and improvements, including electrical upgrades in 2008 for an elevator motor and garage door opener, and various plumbing improvements. The surrounding area has experienced typical urban maintenance issues over the years, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls between 2017 and 2022 reporting street cleaning needs, including instances of graffiti removal, waste cleanup, and hazardous materials removal, all of which were resolved promptly. A building permit from 2008 confirmed the proper address verification for both units, ensuring accurate identification of the property's two distinct housing units.

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

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Risk rating

How 457-459 21St 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
68th percentile

Out of 2250 buildings in this neighborhood, 720 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
86%
No DBI
violation
14%
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 age

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

Number of floors

Building height affects maintenance complexity and is one of the size signals the model uses.

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 severity forecast
No violation 75.6%
Moderate concern 19.8%
Severe concern 4.6%
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

457-459 21St Ave event timeline

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

2023
311 Request Apr 14
Bulky items
Furniture

See all 1 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 457-459 21St Ave apartments

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

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