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635-637 South Van Ness Ave

Inner Mission, SF 94110 3574040 4 units · 2 fl · 1912

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. A handful of unresolved issues. Worth a careful walk-through and pointed questions.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Inner Mission
Above average
avg 2.6
3
FewerMore

This building has 3 novs (7y), above the Inner Mission average of 2.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 635-637 South Van Ness 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 1912
2 or more units
4 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
Units4
Floors2
Year built1912
Total area5,100 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot3574040
Ownership

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

Owner name
Van Ness Flats Inc
Mailing address
6 Divisadero St San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
000000

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.

637 A South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
635 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
635 A South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
637 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 635-637 South Van Ness Avenue is a two-story, four-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1912, currently owned by Van Ness Flats Inc. The building has undergone significant improvements and faced several challenges over recent years. Most notably, between 2020-2021, substantial renovation work was completed, including an extensive interior remodel of all four units ($185,000), bathroom fixture upgrades, fire alarm system improvements ($15,000), and the documentation of the rear building's legal use and occupancy. The property experienced some compliance issues in 2021, with multiple instances of unpermitted electrical work discovered, though these violations were subsequently addressed and resolved.

Recent maintenance and improvements include a range hood venting installation in 2023 and various plumbing upgrades throughout the building. The fire safety systems have received attention, with both automatic/manual fire alarm systems installed, though there have been recurring issues with alarm malfunctions noted in 2016 and 2021. The building faced some structural challenges, particularly regarding the rear stairs in 2013, which were repaired to address safety concerns. Recent 311 calls suggest ongoing exterior maintenance needs, particularly regarding graffiti on public surfaces in front of the property, though these are not directly related to building safety or habitability.

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

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Risk rating

How 635-637 South Van Ness 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

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
13th percentile

Out of 2380 buildings in this neighborhood, 2071 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
31%
No DBI
violation
69%
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.

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.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 34.7%
Moderate concern 46.1%
Severe concern 19.1%
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

635-637 South Van Ness Ave event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Apr 22
311 service request
Encampment
311 RequestApr 01
Garbage and debris

See all 28 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 635-637 South Van Ness Ave apartments

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

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