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679-681 5Th Ave

Inner Richmond, SF 94118 1639019 2 units · 2 fl · 1907

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 679-681 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 1907
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 built1907
Total area3,201 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot1639019
Ownership

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

Owner name
Lorna May Choy Trust
Mailing address
681 5th Ave San Francisco CA 94118
Last sale
091715

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.

681 05th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
679 05th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-unit residential building at 679-681 5th Avenue in San Francisco's Inner Richmond district is a two-story flats and duplex structure built in 1907, currently owned by the Lorna May Choy Trust. The property has undergone significant improvements over the past decade, with major renovations completed in 2011-2012 including a substantial horizontal addition adding between 218-373 square feet across three floors, comprehensive plumbing upgrades (adding three bathrooms, remodeling two bathrooms and two kitchens, and replacing two water heaters, furnaces, and laundry facilities), and an electrical service upgrade that included installation of new appliances and smoke detectors. In 2018, the building received updates to comply with a physical inspection report and completed a window replacement project involving nine vinyl double-hung windows converted to wood windows on the front facade, valued at $15,000.

The building's maintenance history shows attention to structural and aesthetic improvements, including earlier work in 1990 when the front siding was restuccoed. The property has experienced several street-related incidents, primarily involving parking issues, with multiple reports of driveway blocking and abandoned vehicles between 2014-2024, though these were external to the building itself. Most recently, in November 2024, there was a reported issue with a missing side sewer vent cover that was promptly resolved. The building's management has demonstrated responsiveness to both regulatory requirements and building improvements, as evidenced by the completed permits and resolved maintenance issues.

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

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Risk rating

How 679-681 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

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
13th percentile

Out of 1723 buildings in this neighborhood, 1499 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
59%
No DBI
violation
41%
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 complaint rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building complaint rate across the owner's portfolio.

Building age

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

Director's hearing rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building rate of director's hearings across the owner's portfolio.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 67.3%
Moderate concern 23.5%
Severe concern 9.2%
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

679-681 5Th Ave event timeline

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

2023
311 Request Mar 17
Blocking driveway cite only
White - Toyota Corolla - 6ztl042

See all 1 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 679-681 5Th Ave apartments

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

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