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1259 21St Ave

Central Sunset, SF 94122 1729012 2 units · 3 fl · 1909

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years, and our model puts it at a low risk of maintenance problems over the next 12 months. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Central Sunset — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 0.7
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Central Sunset average of 0.7.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1259 21St 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 1909
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.

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 1909
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
Units2
Floors3
Year built1909
Total area3,892 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot1729012
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Shu David Chuang & Michelle 1259 21St Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

1259 21st Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
1259 A 21st Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 1259 21st Avenue in San Francisco's Central Sunset neighborhood is a three-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1909 and currently owned by the Shu Family Trust. Originally a single-family dwelling, the building underwent significant modifications in 2013 when a rear horizontal addition was added, transforming it into a two-unit structure with an estimated cost of $400,000. The improvements included the installation of a fire sprinkler system with 49 heads ($30,000) and complete building-wide electrical rewiring ($30,000), though there were later modifications to remove a spiral staircase and revise bathroom work at the garage level.

The building's recent history has been marked by compliance issues and resident concerns. In 2019, there was a complaint about an unpermitted dwelling unit with kitchen and bathroom facilities used for short-term rentals, which led to the removal of an illegal kitchen and clarification of the building's two-unit status. The property experienced sewer backup issues in September 2021, which were promptly resolved. There have been multiple reports of abandoned vehicles near the property between 2015 and 2017, though these were resolved with officers unable to locate the vehicles. The most recent building-related concern involves a damaged tree reported in April 2022, which remains open as of the latest information.

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

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Risk rating

How 1259 21St 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
95thpercentile

Out of 814 buildings in this neighborhood, 41 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
92%
No DBI
violation
8%
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.

Building size

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

Neighborhood location

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

Building age

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

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 8%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1259 21St Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1259 21St Ave event timeline

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

2026
Planning Record Jan 28
The ad is misleading, implying that it is a bedroom and bathroom in a house that would be private to the renter and in a building with the owner. However, they are in a separate building and while they do have their own bathroom, there are 4 other units which share a bathroom and common space. .host does not live in unit
Closed - Abated

See all 5 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1259 21St Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 1259 21St Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Central Sunset. 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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