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1596-1598 28Th Ave

Central Sunset, SF 94122 1873037

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, but recent activity points to a low risk of further maintenance problems in the next 12 months. Read the records below before you sign. Ask which issues were resolved, get repair commitments in writing, and inspect the unit yourself.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Central Sunset — not a forecast
Above average
avg 0.7
3
FewerMore

This building has 3 novs (7y), above the Central Sunset average of 0.7.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1596-1598 28Th 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 1957
2 or more units
? units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
Possibly exempt. Built before 1979 but single-unit — single-family homes and condos may be exempt from the SF 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 1957
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
Units
Floors2
Year built1957
Total area2,374 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot1873037
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Woo Joana Kwai Trustee 1598 28Th Ave San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
May 16, 1989

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.

1596 28th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
1598 A 28th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
1598 28th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 1596-1598 28th Avenue in the Central Sunset neighborhood is a two-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1957, currently owned by the Joana Kwai Woo Revocable Trust. The building has undergone significant improvements in recent years, including the installation of a hydronic heating system in 2024 (costing $15,000), the addition of a new ADU (Accessary Dwelling Unit) at the first floor in 2021 (costing $250,000), and comprehensive fire safety upgrades including 17 new fire sprinklers and underground piping in 2023 (costing $18,244). More recently, a sprinkler monitoring system was installed in 2024 at a cost of $12,723. These improvements suggest an active commitment to building maintenance and safety upgrades by the current ownership.

Of particular note is a tenant complaint filed in February 2023 regarding lack of heating in occupied units, which was reportedly addressed by March 2023. The building has a history of violations related to unauthorized units, with complaints filed in 1998 and 2001 regarding illegal units and inadequate fire exits, though these were marked as abated. Recent concerns primarily involve exterior maintenance, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls in 2024 regarding garbage and debris, including instances of human waste on or near the property. While these external issues are being addressed through city services, they primarily relate to public spaces rather than the building structure itself.

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

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Risk rating

How 1596-1598 28Th 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
94thpercentile

Out of 814 buildings in this neighborhood, 49 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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

Neighborhood location

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

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building NOV rate across everything this owner manages — high rates signal pattern neglect.

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

1596-1598 28Th Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1596-1598 28Th Ave event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Apr 06
Structural maintenance
other

See all 20 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1596-1598 28Th Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 1596-1598 28Th 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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