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1452 Howard St

South of Market, SF 94103 3510015 4 units · 2 fl · 1927

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in South of Market — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 3.3
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the South of Market average of 3.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1452 Howard 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 1927
2 or more units
4 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
SLR
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 1927
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
Units4
Floors2
Year built1927
Total area3,344 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot3510015
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
1452 Howard St Apt 4 San Francisco CA 94103
Last sale
June 28, 2001

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 1452 Howard Street property is a two-story, four-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1927, currently owned by Michelle Engelen. The building's record shows several clusters of issues over the years, with the most significant events occurring between 2003-2005 when multiple housing code violations were documented, all of which were eventually abated by January 14, 2005. These violations included security requirements such as the need for 135-degree viewers on unit doors, self-closing devices at exterior doors, and proper apartment number displays. There were also safety concerns addressed during this period, including the need for a fire extinguisher on each floor, gas utility shutoff tools, and correct building number placement for emergency access.

More recent concerns include three fire safety incidents: a fire code violation in February 2020, and issues with blocked exits (2015) and overcrowding (2010), although these conditions were corrected in the respective years. The building underwent reroofing work in 1996, but this permit is now expired. Residential complaints have been minimal, with only minor issues such as a broken toilet in 1995 and some unpermitted construction work in 2009 involving jack hammering of interior cement floors. The property has experienced ongoing maintenance issues in its immediate vicinity, with multiple 311 calls in 2024 regarding garbage and debris, sidewalk cleaning needs, and a curb defect. While many of the historical violations have been resolved, the building's recent history shows periodic fire safety inspections and neighborhood maintenance challenges, particularly related to street cleaning and debris management around the property.

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

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Risk rating

How 1452 Howard 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

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
43rdpercentile

Out of 430 buildings in this neighborhood, 245 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
62%
No DBI
violation
38%
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.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

The ZIP code captures local housing market and enforcement patterns that affect all buildings in the area.

Neighborhood location

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 38%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1452 Howard St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1452 Howard St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Feb 05
311 service request
Encampment

See all 4 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1452 Howard St apartments

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

Side by side

How 1452 Howard St compares to the neighborhood

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