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678-680 9Th Ave

Inner Richmond, SF 94118 1636012 6 units · 3 fl · 1900

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. 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 678-680 9Th 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
6 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
Units6
Floors3
Year built1900
Total area5,975 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1636012
Ownership

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

Owner name
Lai Yenn Yen
Mailing address
Yenn Yen Lai & Wan Hong Lai P.O. Box 29503 Oakland CA 94604
Last sale
010713

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.

680 09th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
678 09th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
680 A 09th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 6-unit apartment building at 678-680 9th Avenue in the Inner Richmond, owned by Lai Yenn Yen, has undergone significant improvements and faced several maintenance challenges since its construction in 1900. Most notably, the building successfully completed its mandatory soft-story seismic retrofit (Tier 3) in 2017, with additional structural improvements including concrete footing replacements in 2019. The property has seen substantial electrical and safety upgrades, particularly in 2019, when multiple units received new electrical systems, smoke detectors, and safety improvements following several building violations related to fire safety and electrical issues. These violations, filed in 2018, were primarily concerning stair repairs, smoke enclosure doors, and electrical work, all of which were resolved by late 2018.

The building's maintenance history shows recurring issues with the rear stairs, which have required repairs in 2002, 2007, and 2018, indicating an ongoing concern with this area. There have been multiple instances of electrical system concerns, including emergency PG&E intervention in 2011 due to hazardous wiring conditions. Other significant maintenance work includes plumbing improvements such as sewer line replacement in 2018, furnace system installation in 2016, and various repairs addressing water damage and mold concerns. The property has also experienced periodic complaints about living conditions, including a rat infestation in 2015, heating issues in 2007, and rooftop leaks in 1996. While these issues have generally been addressed through repairs and system upgrades, their recurring nature suggests ongoing maintenance challenges. Recent improvements show a focus on safety compliance and infrastructure upgrades, with the building's most recent major work being completed in 2019, including bathroom renovations, electrical upgrades, and smoke detector installations across multiple units.

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

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Risk rating

How 678-680 9Th 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
14th percentile

Out of 1723 buildings in this neighborhood, 1482 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
61%
No DBI
violation
39%
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.

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

Building age

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 62.6%
Moderate concern 19.8%
Severe concern 17.6%
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

678-680 9Th Ave event timeline

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

2019
Building Permit Oct 04
Revision to pa 2017-0914-8099 - replace brick footings under structural with concrete.
$6,000 · Complete
Plumbing PermitAug 05
Replace shower pan in bathroom for unit 1.

See all 4 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 678-680 9Th Ave apartments

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

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