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556 5Th Ave

Inner Richmond, SF 94118 1547036 5 units · 2 fl · 1970

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 Inner Richmond — not a forecast
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 556 5Th 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 1970
2 or more units
5 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH3
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 1970
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
Units5
Floors2
Year built1970
Total area4,663 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1547036
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Xu Lingxia Trustee 1675 29Th Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
March 04, 2014

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 556 5th Avenue in the Inner Richmond is a 2-story, 4-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1970, currently owned by the Lingxia Xu Trust. The building underwent significant modifications between 2019 and 2021, including the legalization of an unauthorized dwelling unit (ADU) in 2019, followed by comprehensive fire safety upgrades in 2021 that included the installation of sprinklers throughout the ground floor, a new fire alarm system, and monitoring equipment costing approximately $22,900 in total. The building has seen various improvements over the years, including the addition of a rear deck (2015), window replacements (2014), and the installation of new tankless water heaters (2014).

Several building code enforcement issues were documented between 2015 and 2016, with complaints regarding unpermitted construction work, including concerns about an unauthorized deck and an in-law unit that eventually required legalization through Ordinance 43-14. The property has also been subject to routine safety inspections by housing authorities in 1999, 2004, and 2015. More recent activity includes multiple complaints about parking enforcement in 2023, with several citations issued for driveway blocking, though these are not directly related to building conditions. The building's maintenance history shows typical urban building upkeep and upgrading practices, culminating in substantial fire safety improvements in 2021. Two minor fire-related incidents were recorded, but no civilian injuries were reported in either case.

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

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Risk rating

How 556 5Th 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
43rdpercentile

Out of 1723 buildings in this neighborhood, 982 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
82%
No DBI
violation
18%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

Owner's portfolio size

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

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 18%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

556 5Th Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

556 5Th Ave event timeline

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

2023
311 Request Aug 01
Bulky items
Furniture

See all 9 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 556 5Th Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 556 5Th Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Inner Richmond. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

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Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

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