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5421-5423 Geary Blvd

Central Richmond, SF 94121 1526034 2 units · 2 fl · 1916

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 Central Richmond
Above average
avg 0.5
7
FewerMore

This building has 7 novs (7y), above the Central Richmond average of 0.5.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 5421-5423 Geary Blvd 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 1916
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
NC3
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
Floors2
Year built1916
Total area2,730 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1526034
Ownership

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

Owner name
Kar Tsun Llc
Mailing address
Mo Fong Choy 2218 36Th Ave San Francisco CA 94116
Last sale
062414

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.

5423 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
5421 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 5421-5423 Geary Blvd is a 2-unit, 2-story mixed-use building constructed in 1916, currently owned by Kar Tsun LLC. The building has experienced several significant maintenance and compliance issues in recent years, most notably a series of heating system failures in late 2019 where tenants reported inadequate heat and hot water problems, which were officially abated by November 2021. In 2023, there have been multiple complaints regarding unauthorized modifications and permit violations, including unpermitted restaurant remodeling, unauthorized signage, and unauthorized awning modifications. The building's maintenance history shows a pattern of repairs and upgrades, including a recent awning replacement with new illuminated letters in December 2023, bathroom renovations in 2012, and various plumbing and electrical improvements over the years.

Historical records indicate several significant building improvements and modifications, including kitchen renovations in 1988, 1993, and 1999, and an attempt to install telecommunications equipment in 2014 (withdrawn). The property has undergone multiple inspections and permits related to its commercial restaurant space, which operates under a Type 41 ABC license. Violation history shows notable issues in 2019 related to building maintenance, including problems with doors, walls, floors, heating, stove functionality, and various other building systems. Recent activity on the property suggests ongoing concerns with unauthorized modifications and permit compliance, though many past violations have been officially abated. The building's location in the Central Richmond district has experienced typical urban maintenance issues, as evidenced by recent 311 calls regarding garbage, debris, and general cleaning needs in the surrounding area.

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

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Risk rating

How 5421-5423 Geary Blvd'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
3th percentile

Out of 2250 buildings in this neighborhood, 2182 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
32%
No DBI
violation
68%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building NOV rate across everything this owner manages — high rates signal pattern neglect.

Property class: apartment building

Apartment building — this property classification influences expected violation rates.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 13.2%
Moderate concern 35.9%
Severe concern 50.8%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
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The story over time

5421-5423 Geary Blvd event timeline

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

2024
Planning Record Jun 24
ABC referral - Type 20
Closed - Approved
311 RequestMar 06
Sidewalk defect

See all 14 events

Full history back to 2019 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 5421-5423 Geary Blvd apartments

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

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