Free SF apartment background check

474 4Th Ave

Inner Richmond, SF 94118 1541028 2 units · 2 fl · 1900

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 Inner Richmond
At or below average
avg 0.9
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Inner Richmond average of 0.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 474 4Th 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 1900
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
Floors2
Year built1900
Total area2,200 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1541028
Ownership

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

Owner name
Cheng Christine
Mailing address
287 Gaven St San Francisco CA 94134
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 property at 474 4th Avenue in San Francisco's Inner Richmond district is a two-unit, two-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1900, currently owned by Christine Cheng. The building has undergone several significant improvements in recent years, with the most substantial ongoing renovation (filed in November 2024) involving comprehensive updates to a bathroom and kitchen, including electrical upgrades, lighting improvements, and drywall replacement, with an estimated cost of $60,500. This current renovation also includes the replacement of various kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances, as well as electrical system enhancements such as new receptacles, recessed lighting, and a 100-amp subpanel installation. Prior improvements include a complete reroofing project in 2022 ($20,000), and a notable interior renovation in 2021 (though this permit expired) focused on replacing lath and plaster with modern drywall materials.

The building's maintenance history shows attention to basic infrastructure, including an electrical service upgrade completed in 2007, though this work notably excluded residential space heater installations. The property has experienced several parking-related incidents, with three documented cases of driveway blocking between 2019 and 2023, all resulting in citations. Additional incidents include unauthorized postings and graffiti in 2020, and a sewage backup issue in 2010 that required repair. The building's recent activity shows a proactive approach to modernization and upkeep, particularly through the major renovations initiated in late 2024, which address both functional and safety improvements throughout the unit.

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

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Risk rating

How 474 4Th 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
93th percentile

Out of 1723 buildings in this neighborhood, 121 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
92%
No DBI
violation
8%
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.

Construction spend, owner's portfolio

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

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 87.3%
Moderate concern 9.3%
Severe concern 3.4%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

474 4Th Ave apartment reviews

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The story over time

474 4Th Ave event timeline

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

2024
Building Permit Nov 14
Remodel a bathroom and a kitchen in kind no change in layout upgrade electrical and lighting and replace dry wall for entire unit
$10,000 · Filed
Plumbing PermitNov 14
Replace gas stove, kitchen sink/faucet, dishwasher, garbage disposal, refridgerator & hood fan in kind. replace sink and shower at bathroom in kind

See all 7 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 474 4Th 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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