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252-256 Castro St

Corona Heights, SF 94114 2614002 3 units · 3 fl · 1904

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Corona Heights
At or below average
avg 1.2
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Corona Heights average of 1.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 252-256 Castro St 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 1904
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH3
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
Units3
Floors3
Year built1904
Total area3,160 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot2614002
Ownership

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

Owner name
Knittel Revoc Lvg Tr
Mailing address
Knittel Russell J & Veronic 252-256 Castro St San Francisco CA 94114
Last sale
041013

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.

252 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114
256 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114
254 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit residential building at 252-256 Castro Street in Corona Heights is a three-story flats and duplex structure built in 1904, currently owned by Knittel Revoc Lvg Tr. The building has undergone several significant renovations over the past 15 years, with the most recent substantial work performed in 2017 involving termite repairs costing $6,290. In 2015, a $50,000 renovation included bathroom and electrical upgrades, while a major improvement in 2010 involved remodeling kitchens and bathrooms in units 254 and 256, window replacements, and basement work costing $32,000. This same period also saw various infrastructure improvements including plumbing updates, electrical rewiring, and multiple maintenance tasks such as reroofing in 2009 ($7,700). The building experienced some fire safety violations in 2003 related to garbage receptacles and fire escape requirements, all of which were abated by July 2003.

More recently, the property has generated multiple 311 calls regarding external issues, primarily related to graffiti (with the most recent reported in December 2023) and occasional parking enforcement matters. Routine housing inspections were conducted in 2003, 2009, and 2010, with no active violations noted from these inspections. The building's maintenance history shows regular updating of various systems including plumbing, electrical, and safety equipment, with all permitted work marked as completed. While there have been some concerns about recent graffiti incidents, these have been addressed through proper channels according to city procedures. The property's documented history suggests regular maintenance and prompt attention to permitted improvements, with no outstanding building violations in recent years.

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

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Risk rating

How 252-256 Castro St'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
19th percentile

Out of 348 buildings in this neighborhood, 282 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
65%
No DBI
violation
35%
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.

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.

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 46.5%
Moderate concern 23.0%
Severe concern 30.4%
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

252-256 Castro St event timeline

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

2025
Electrical Permit Sep 04
Install outlets, lighting on deck above garage
Complete
Building PermitJul 24
Unit 252,254,256: replace existing stucco siding on (e) garage with fiber cement siding, on front (east) and right (north)[maintain 1 hour assembly per cbc 705.5] sides only

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 252-256 Castro St 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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