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1278 4Th Ave

Inner Sunset, SF 94122 1752017 3 units · 4 fl · 2008

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 Inner Sunset
Above average
avg 1.1
5
FewerMore

This building has 5 novs (7y), above the Inner Sunset average of 1.1.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1278 4Th 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 2008
2 or more units
3 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.

Building characteristics
Units3
Floors4
Year built2008
Total area5,747 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot1752017
Ownership

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

Owner name
Ho Wai King & Zhu Liang Mei
Mailing address
610 22nd Ave San Francisco CA 94121
Last sale
052708

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The four-story, three-unit multi-family residential building at 1278 4th Avenue in the Inner Sunset was constructed in 2008 following the demolition of a previous single-family dwelling on the site. The building was equipped with modern safety features during construction, including a fire sprinkler system ($22,500), fire alarm system with smoke detectors ($3,500), and comprehensive electrical installations. Initial construction costs amounted to $573,293. Since completion, the building has undergone several maintenance updates, including interior improvements, heating system installations, and ventilation system modifications across all units. A significant maintenance issue occurred in 2016 when the building was cited for multiple violations related to fire safety and structural maintenance, including missing carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguisher maintenance issues, and egress obstructions. These violations were all abated by March 2017.

Prior to the 2016 violations, there were several other notable incidents, including complaints about unauthorized construction in 2008 and 1999, and a concerning report in 2002 about garbage accumulation and security issues during the building's transition period between the old and new structures. The most recent building permit activity was recorded in 2012 for siding repairs on the building's rear facade. While the building has experienced various maintenance and compliance issues throughout its history, records indicate that these problems have generally been addressed, with no active violations or complaints as of the latest data. The property is currently owned by Ho Wai King & Zhu Liang Mei.

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

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Risk rating

How 1278 4Th 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
53th percentile

Out of 1493 buildings in this neighborhood, 702 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
83%
No DBI
violation
17%
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 floors

Building height affects maintenance complexity and is one of the size signals the model uses.

Building size

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

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 75.6%
Moderate concern 14.4%
Severe concern 10.0%
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

1278 4Th Ave event timeline

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

No dated public records on file yet.
Every record we have

Full data for 1278 4Th 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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