Free SF apartment background check

1230 La Playa

Outer Sunset, SF 94122 1702043 15 units · 3 fl · 1974

This building has far more open problems than almost any other in the neighborhood. Renters here report frequent, slow-to-fix problems. Get repair promises in writing and check the unit before signing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Outer Sunset
Above average
avg 1.8
24
FewerMore

This building has 24 novs (7y), above the Outer Sunset average of 1.8.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1230 La Playa 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 1974
2 or more units
15 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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
Units15
Floors3
Year built1974
Total area12,726 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1702043
Ownership

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

Owner name
Katz Jeffrey
Mailing address
Nicholas Kramer 3 E Third Ave San Mateo CA 94401
Last sale
091812

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 15-unit, 3-story apartment building at 1230 La Playa in the Outer Sunset, owned by Jeffrey Katz and built in 1974, has experienced several significant issues over recent years that warrant attention. Most recently, the building underwent a fire alarm system upgrade in October 2024 costing $45,200 to comply with fire code requirements, following multiple fire code violations in 2023-2024. The property has a history of maintenance challenges, with records showing stucco repairs required in 2020-2020 and 2016-2016, along with window replacement projects in 2020 (28 windows) and earlier (2000). Between 2019 and 2024, several concerning issues were reported, including water intrusion problems (with multiple complaints in 2019), heating system failures, and window leaks. The building's fire safety systems have been the subject of ongoing attention, with multiple violations issued for fire escape, sprinkler systems, and extinguisher requirements between 2021 and 2024, suggesting persistent concerns in this area despite some being marked as "Condition Corrected" or "Abated." The property has also experienced electrical and plumbing system upgrades, including an electrical subpanel upgrade in 2015 and hot water system installation in 2014, though some permits have expired without completion confirmation.

The building's recent history shows a pattern of maintenance and safety issues, particularly in terms of heating, water intrusion, and fire safety systems. While some improvements have been made, such as the recent fire alarm system upgrade, the property continues to require attention to various building systems and maintenance issues. Notably, there was a significant cluster of complaints in 2019 regarding mold, window leaks, and heating problems, indicating potential challenges with building envelope performance and maintenance response. A recent complaint from November 2023 regarding smoking in one unit suggests ongoing tenant relationship challenges. The property has also experienced some recent violations related to sleeping area requirements and emergency lighting, as evidenced by the fire violations recorded in 2023 and 2024.

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

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Risk rating

How 1230 La Playa'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
0th percentile

Out of 632 buildings in this neighborhood, 632 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
11%
No DBI
violation
89%
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.

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 7.9%
Moderate concern 14.8%
Severe concern 77.3%
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

1230 La Playa event timeline

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

2026
Electrical Permit Apr 16
Main panel upgrade existing meters:17 proposed meters:17 size of existing panel 600a size of the new panel 600a underground same location
Issued

See all 28 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1230 La Playa 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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