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543 Buena Vista Ave

Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights, SF 94117 2616042 9 units · 3 fl · 1959

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, and our model predicts continuing maintenance failures over 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 Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights — not a forecast
Above average
avg 1.6
17
FewerMore

This building has 17 novs (7y), above the Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights average of 1.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 543 Buena Vista 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 1959
2 or more units
9 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.

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 1959
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
Local rent control likely takes priority. This building appears to fall under the local ordinance above, which is stronger than AB 1482. Where a local just-cause ordinance applies, its rules govern instead of the state cap.

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
Units9
Floors3
Year built1959
Total area7,290 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot2616042
Ownership

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

Mailing address
827 Duboce Ave San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 9-unit, 3-story apartment building located at 543 Buena Vista Ave was constructed in 1959 and has undergone significant renovations and faced several compliance issues over the years. Recent work includes substantial remodeling of Units 5 and 8 in December 2023 ($55,000 each) involving kitchen and bathroom upgrades, as well as ongoing exterior improvements with siding replacement completed in late 2023 ($31,400) and earlier in 2023 ($29,500). The building has experienced recurring heating system issues, with the most recent complaints from December 2023 (Units 9) citing problems with an inoperable heater that reportedly emitted carbon monoxide and caused alarm activations. These heating system concerns appear to be part of a longer history of HVAC maintenance issues, as evidenced by previous complaints in 2018 regarding hot water availability and installed wall heaters.

The property has a documented history of fire safety concerns, including recent violations from October 2024 regarding fire escape maintenance and fire extinguisher issues, though previous fire safety citations have often been promptly addressed. A significant fire incident occurred in 2022, and the building's fire escape system has required attention in multiple instances since 2012. The building's maintenance record shows significant investment in unit upgrades, including a comprehensive reroofing project completed in 2023 ($42,780) and the replacement of all wall-mounted gas furnaces in Units 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8 around the same period. While the building completed its soft-story retrofit requirements, resolved several building code violations, and underwent a tenant buyout in 2020, recent tenant complaints suggest ongoing issues with heating systems and unit maintenance.

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

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Risk rating

How 543 Buena Vista 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
0thpercentile

Out of 351 buildings in this neighborhood, 351 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
14%
No DBI
violation
86%
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.

Notices of Violation (past 7 years)

DBI issued Notices of Violation at this address over the last 7 years — a direct record of code enforcement activity.

Building size

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

Number of units

The number of units affects how the model reads complaint and violation totals — more units means more potential sources.

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 86%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

543 Buena Vista Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

543 Buena Vista Ave event timeline

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

2026
Electrical Permit Feb 11
Address correction from permit ew202501213577 and upgrade permit fees for project.
Complete

See all 30 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 543 Buena Vista Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 543 Buena Vista Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Buena Vista Park/Ashbury Heights. 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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