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439 20Th Ave

Central Richmond, SF 94121 1524007 4 units · 2 fl · 1927

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 439 20Th 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 1927
2 or more units
4 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.

Building characteristics
Units4
Floors2
Year built1927
Total area4,330 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1524007
Ownership

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

Owner name
Bill S Tom & Mary J Tom Fam
Mailing address
Bill S & Mary J Tom 169 Commonwealth Ave San Francisco CA 94118
Last sale
000000

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-story, four-unit multi-family residential building at 439 20th Avenue in the Central Richmond district, owned by Bill S Tom & Mary J Tom Fam, was constructed in 1927 and has experienced several notable events over its history. Most recently, in 2022, a new steam boiler was installed, representing a significant infrastructure upgrade. Previous maintenance work has included sewer and house trap replacement in 2015 and kitchen cabinet replacement in 1991. The building has faced several building violations, most notably in October 2002, when multiple safety issues were identified including security violations, damaged walls, and fire safety concerns related to fire extinguisher maintenance. All these violations were promptly addressed and abated by November 2002. A significant maintenance issue was reported in 2011 regarding peeling exterior paint affecting neighboring properties, though this was resolved within a week.

The property has undergone various repairs and improvements over the years, including street space work in 2011 and 2015, and infrastructure upgrades such as the 2022 boiler installation. Several routine housing inspections have been conducted, with documented issues generally being resolved in a timely manner. The building experienced some plumbing challenges, including a sewage backup in 2015 that was addressed by PUC Sewer Operations. More recent 311 calls primarily relate to external matters such as parking violations and streetlight maintenance, with no direct impact on the building's condition or resident experience. The most recent documented issues all relate to parking enforcement, suggesting that while there may be ongoing logistical challenges in the area, these do not directly affect the building's structural or residential quality.

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

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Risk rating

How 439 20Th 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
32th percentile

Out of 2250 buildings in this neighborhood, 1530 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
79%
No DBI
violation
21%
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.

Number of units

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

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

Owner's portfolio size

Number of SF parcels this owner is registered on — larger portfolios have distinct risk patterns.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 68.0%
Moderate concern 19.3%
Severe concern 12.7%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

439 20Th Ave apartment reviews

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The story over time

439 20Th Ave event timeline

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

2022
Plumbing Permit Feb 02
Work category: 8p; installation of a steam boiler for a 4 unit building. does not require a pto.
Complete

See all 1 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 439 20Th 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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