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1280 21St Ave

Central Sunset, SF 94122 1730025 2 units · 2 fl · 1989

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 1280 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 1989
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
Not rent-controlled. Buildings constructed after 1978 are generally exempt from SF rent increase limits under the Costa-Hawkins Act.

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 1989
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
May be covered by AB 1482. The building is old enough for the statewide rent cap (5% + regional CPI, capped at 10% per year) and just-cause protection after 12 months of tenancy.

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
Floors2
Year built1989
Total area5,125 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1730025
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
Leong Tony K & Iwan Jenny T 1278 21St Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
November 28, 1989

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 2-unit residential building at 1280 21st Avenue in the Central Sunset neighborhood is a two-story flats and duplex structure built in 1989. The property has undergone two significant permitted modifications: a substantial structural change during construction in 1989 (changing from trus joist to 2x12 as per engineers' plans), and a notable interior expansion in 2001 when an additional two bedrooms and full bathroom were added to the ground floor at a cost of $12,000. A fire safety inspection in September 2015 identified combustible materials on the property, though this issue was promptly corrected within four days.

The most pressing current concern involves an ongoing situation with waste management on and around the property, with multiple "garbage and debris" incidents reported between December 2024 and January 2025. Specifically, there are three unresolved cases as of now involving loose garbage, yard waste, and potentially other debris, with additional reports of abandoned furniture and defaced parking signage. While most previous waste management issues in this series have been resolved, the persistence of recent complaints suggests an ongoing challenge with waste disposal in the vicinity. The building's documented history shows that while structural modifications and fire safety issues have been properly addressed in the past, the current environmental maintenance challenges appear to be a more immediate concern, though they relate primarily to the street and sidewalk areas outside the building rather than the structure itself.

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

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Risk rating

How 1280 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
78thpercentile

Out of 814 buildings in this neighborhood, 179 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
88%
No DBI
violation
12%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

Dollar value of permits pulled at this address — large recent spend can signal deferred-maintenance catch-up.

Building permits, owner's portfolio

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

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

1280 21St Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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Buildings nearby
8 found
The story over time

1280 21St Ave event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Apr 30
Not offensive
news rack

See all 2 events

Full history back to 2024 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 1280 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 1280 21St Ave compares to the neighborhood

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