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1286-1288 38Th Ave

Outer Sunset, SF 94122 1713026 2 units · 2 fl · 1947

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 Outer Sunset
At or below average
avg 1.8
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Outer Sunset average of 1.8.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1286-1288 38Th 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 1947
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 built1947
Total area2,150 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1713026
Ownership

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

Owner name
Li Nelson
Mailing address
Yuen Edwin N & Lee Kathryn 1286-1288 38Th Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
081919

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.

1288 38th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
1286 38th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-unit residential building at 1286-1288 38th Avenue in San Francisco's Outer Sunset neighborhood is a two-story flats and duplex structure built in 1947, currently owned by Nelson Li. The property underwent significant renovations in 2018, with approved building permits totaling approximately $114,000 in improvements. These renovations included adding a bedroom and full bath on the first floor, modifying unit 1288's layout, performing a bathroom and kitchen remodel with new fixtures, and upgrading critical systems including electrical (with a 200-amp service upgrade), plumbing (replacing galvanized pipes with copper), and roof work. These improvements appear to have been successfully completed, as indicated by their "Complete" status in the permit records.

The building's history includes some notable events, including a flickering light complaint in 2010 that was quickly addressed within two weeks, and a series of parking-related complaints in July 2023 that were either unable to be validated or the officers could not locate the issue. A planning record from 2018 suggests careful attention to maintaining code compliance, particularly regarding rear yard access and open space requirements, while noting the presence of both front and rear access points in the building. The property has experienced one false fire alarm incident, which resulted in no injuries or damage, and one unrelated complaint in December 2013 that was deemed to have no merit. A roof replacement permit from 1993 is recorded as expired, though this is likely no longer relevant given the more recent improvements.

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

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Risk rating

How 1286-1288 38Th 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
88th percentile

Out of 632 buildings in this neighborhood, 76 are predicted to be safer.

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

Construction spend, owner's portfolio

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

Building permits, owner's portfolio

Permits pulled across all of this owner's buildings over 7 years.

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 83.8%
Moderate concern 11.1%
Severe concern 5.1%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
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The story over time

1286-1288 38Th Ave event timeline

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

2023
311 Request Jul 14
Parking on sidewalk
- -
311 RequestJul 14
Parking on sidewalk

See all 2 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1286-1288 38Th Ave apartments

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

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