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538-540 Noe St

Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights, SF 94114 3583008 3 units · 2 fl · 1900

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 Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 1.4
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights average of 1.4.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 538-540 Noe 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 1900
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.

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 1900
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
Units3
Floors2
Year built1900
Total area3,295 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot3583008
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Culbert Mark N Trustee 538 Noe St San Francisco CA 94114
Last sale
September 16, 2009

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

540 Noe St, San Francisco, CA 94114
538 Noe St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit multi-family residential building at 538-540 Noe Street, owned by the Mark N Culbert Living Trust, was constructed in 1900 and spans two stories in the Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights neighborhood. The property underwent significant improvements in 2014, including major garage renovation work with new shear walls, foundations, and drainage systems completed at a cost of $38,000, followed by revisions to the steel beam work and removal of a car lift. The building received substantial updates to its infrastructure during this period, including the installation of a solar PV system with 9 modules, comprehensive electrical upgrades including panel improvements, plumbing system modernization with new sewer connections and water lines, and the addition of tankless water heaters.

Prior renovations include interior updates at 540 Noe Street in 2009 (kitchen and bathroom improvements), and back steps repair due to dry rot in 2011. The property has maintained compliance with housing inspections, with routine inspections in 2002 and 2011 showing no violations. Recent maintenance issues have primarily involved external matters, such as recurring parking violations (with multiple citations issued between 2018-2024 for driveway blocking) and some sidewalk access concerns during construction work in 2015, which was resolved with no defects or violations found. The building's age and multiple renovation phases suggest regular maintenance is being conducted, with no major safety violations or urgent repair needs documented in recent history.

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

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Risk rating

How 538-540 Noe 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
28thpercentile

Out of 1278 buildings in this neighborhood, 920 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.

Neighborhood location

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

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

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

Building age

Older buildings tend to have more maintenance challenges; SF's pre-1906 earthquake housing stock carries distinct risk.

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

538-540 Noe St apartment reviews

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On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

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The story over time

538-540 Noe St event timeline

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

No dated public records on file yet.
Every record we have

Full data for 538-540 Noe St apartments

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

Side by side

How 538-540 Noe 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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