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638-642 South Van Ness Ave

Inner Mission, SF 94110 3575008 3 units · 3 fl · 1911

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Inner Mission
At or below average
avg 2.6
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Inner Mission average of 2.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 638-642 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 1911
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 built1911
Total area3,750 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot3575008
Ownership

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

Owner name
Rodemiro & Isabel Arguello
Mailing address
Arguello Rodemiro Trustee 140 Inyo Ct San Bruno CA 94066
Last sale
051997

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.

638 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
640 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
642 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit multi-family residential building at 638-642 South Van Ness Avenue in the Inner Mission, owned by Rodemiro & Isabel Arguello, has experienced several maintenance and safety issues since its construction in 1911. The most significant cluster of violations occurred in early 2002, when multiple issues were documented including inadequate heat, mold and mildew, damaged walls, security concerns with entry doors, interior surface problems, and inadequate fire safety measures. These violations were all officially abated by June 2003. The building underwent several maintenance improvements including window replacements in 2002 and a roof replacement in 1997, along with electrical work for a furnace replacement in 2003.

More recent history shows a pattern of maintenance and safety concerns. A 2005 complaint noted blocked emergency exits and fire alarms, though this was quickly resolved. Routine inspections were conducted in 2008 and 2015, though the results were not specified. Earlier complaints from the 1990s highlighted issues with water damage, window leaks, damaged flooring, and various infrastructure problems including inoperative door locks and ventilation issues. The property has also faced exterior challenges in recent years, with multiple 311 calls in 2023-2024 primarily related to sidewalk cleaning and graffiti, indicating ongoing maintenance needs for the building's exterior and surrounding area. The most recent building permits and violations suggest that while some historical issues have been addressed, the building continues to require regular maintenance and oversight to address both interior and exterior concerns.

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

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Risk rating

How 638-642 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
55th percentile

Out of 2380 buildings in this neighborhood, 1071 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 (ZIP code)

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

Construction spend, owner's portfolio

Estimated permit value across all of this owner's buildings.

Property class: multi-family flat

2–4 unit flats (class F) are a common SF building type with their own maintenance and complaint patterns.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 49.7%
Moderate concern 17.8%
Severe concern 32.5%
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

638-642 South Van Ness Ave event timeline

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

2025
Tenant Buyout Dec 18
Tenant buyout · $9,080
3 tenant(s)

See all 1 events

Full history back to 2025 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 638-642 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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Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

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