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2020 15Th St

Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights, SF 94114 3543007 9 units · 3 fl · 1927

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, and our model sees a moderate chance of more 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 Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights — not a forecast
Above average
avg 1.4
8
FewerMore

This building has 8 novs (7y), above the Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights average of 1.4.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 2020 15Th 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
9 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM2
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
Units9
Floors3
Year built1927
Total area5,865 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot3543007
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Robert M Seale 280 Camino Sur Palm Springs CA 92262
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, 1927 three-story apartment building at 2020 15th Street in Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights, currently owned by Robert M Seale Trust, has undergone several significant safety and infrastructure improvements in recent years. Most notably, in September 2023, the building received comprehensive fire alarm system upgrades costing over $24,000 to comply with current fire code requirements. The property completed mandatory soft-story seismic retrofit work in 2017, earning a Certificate of Final Completion, and has maintained critical systems with a 400A electrical service upgrade in 2020, fire alarm upgrades, and the replacement of essential plumbing components including backflow devices, sewer lines, and steam boiler modifications between 2019-2020.

Historical records show a cluster of violations and complaints in late 2000 that were promptly addressed by March 2001, including issues with fire safety systems, building repairs, and egress obstructions. While there have been periodic maintenance matters requiring attention, such as a 2004 sewage backup incident and various routine inspections, most recent issues have been external to the building (e.g., sidewalk cleanup, parking enforcement). The property has experienced only minor fire-related incidents, primarily involving cooking mishaps, and a single fire complaint regarding blocked exits in 2008 that was found to have no merit. Recent 311 calls primarily pertain to street-level issues rather than building-specific concerns, with the most recent being a pavement defect reported in November 2023. The building's maintenance history demonstrates regular upkeep and compliance with safety requirements, with no active violations or unresolved building complaints currently on record.

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

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Risk rating

How 2020 15Th 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
17thpercentile

Out of 1278 buildings in this neighborhood, 1061 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
53%
No DBI
violation
47%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

NOV rate, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 47%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

2020 15Th St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

2020 15Th St event timeline

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

2023
Building Permit Sep 25
Upgrade the (e) fire alarm system by replacing with 1 addressible fire alarm unit 1 wireless communicator next to facu 6 addressible smoke detectors 4 addressible manual pull station 4 horn strobes 13 low frequency horns at residential sleeping area to comply with sffc sec 1103.7.6.1
$15,000 · Complete
Electrical PermitSep 25
Upgrade existing fire alarm to comply with sffc sec 1103.7.6.1

See all 12 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 2020 15Th St apartments

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

Side by side

How 2020 15Th St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Eureka Valley/Dolores 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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