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1290-1296 12Th Ave

Inner Sunset, SF 94122 1739026A 10 units · 3 fl · 1914

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 Inner Sunset
Above average
avg 1.1
9
FewerMore

This building has 9 novs (7y), above the Inner Sunset average of 1.1.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1290-1296 12Th 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 1914
2 or more units
10 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
Units10
Floors3
Year built1914
Total area7,890 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1739026A
Ownership

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

Owner name
Trust A
Mailing address
Kathy M Rainsford Trustee 1027 Timothy Ln Lafayette CA 94549
Last sale
031821

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.

1294 12th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
1296 12th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
1290 12th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story multi-family residential building at 1290-1296 12th Avenue in the Inner Sunset, owned by Trust A, was constructed in 1914 and contains 9 units. The building has undergone significant safety and modernization improvements over the past decade, including a complete fire alarm system replacement with radio monitoring in 2020 ($21,690), comprehensive sprinkler coverage installation throughout the first floor and garage in 2020 ($23,850), and a major seismic retrofit completed in 2017 ($90,000). The property has recently experienced some concerns regarding fire safety compliance, with violations issued in August 2024 for alarm system maintenance, sprinkler service, emergency lighting, and fire escape maintenance. A reroofing project worth $30,000 is currently in progress as of January 2025.

The building's history includes several maintenance and safety improvements, such as the conversion of storage space to an accessory dwelling unit, window replacements, and various unit renovations. Past issues have included multiple fire alarm system violations (most recently in 2024), water damage concerns, and some tenant complaints regarding construction noise and electrical work. The property has maintained its soft-story retrofit compliance (Tier 3) and has completed several plumbing and electrical upgrades. Recent maintenance records from 2023-2024 show ongoing attention to building upkeep, including responses to garbage and debris issues, though some infrastructure concerns remain open, such as a missing side sewer vent cover reported in September 2024. The building has a documented history of addressing both major systems upgrades and individual unit improvements, with most recent complaints focusing on building systems and maintenance rather than structural or safety concerns.

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

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Risk rating

How 1290-1296 12Th 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
3th percentile

Out of 1493 buildings in this neighborhood, 1448 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
24%
No DBI
violation
76%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 19.1%
Moderate concern 49.9%
Severe concern 31.0%
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

1290-1296 12Th Ave event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jun 09
Garbage and debris
mattress
311 RequestJun 03
Garbage and debris

See all 25 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1290-1296 12Th Ave 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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