Free SF apartment background check

3686-3698 20Th St

Mission Dolores, SF 94110 3597028 9 units · 3 fl · 1906

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, and our model predicts continuing maintenance failures over 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 Mission Dolores — not a forecast
Above average
avg 2.9
51
FewerMore

This building has 51 novs (7y), above the Mission Dolores average of 2.9.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 3686-3698 20Th 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 1906
2 or more units
9 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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 1906
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 built1906
Total area10,910 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot3597028
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Farid J & Georgia Kawas 2781 Merion Dr San Bruno CA 94066
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

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

3688 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
3686 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
3694 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
3698 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
3696 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
3690 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
3692 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story multi-family residential building at 3686-3698 20th Street, owned by Kawas Family Living Trust, was constructed in 1906 and contains 9 units with ground floor retail space. The property underwent significant work in 2023, with multiple final inspections completed in March 2023, and has recently resolved various maintenance issues including a March 2024 complaint about damaged walls, stove problems, peeling surfaces, worn flooring, and inoperable windows. The building has a documented history of safety and maintenance concerns, including a cluster of violations in February 2002 related to fire safety, security, and structural issues, all of which were abated by March 2002. More recent issues include a 2022 soft story program compliance (Tier IV completed), and fire safety concerns in 2022 involving blocked exits, alarm systems, and extinguishers, though these were marked as corrected.

The building's maintenance record shows attention to critical infrastructure, including main sewer line replacements in 2009 and various street space permits issued in 2019. There have been multiple routine inspections and complaints over the years, with recurring issues related to egress obstruction and general maintenance. Recent 311 calls from 2024 indicate ongoing concerns with garbage and debris in the vicinity, though these are mainly external to the building itself. The property was also subject to internet startup office use scrutiny, though no violation was found, and there was a blocked exits fire complaint in 2016 that was corrected. The building's compliance with the soft story program is notable, and recent building permit activity suggests ongoing maintenance and compliance efforts by ownership.

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

Free account unlocks the full analysis — plus 2× more records across all data categories and the complete landlord portfolio.
Risk rating

How 3686-3698 20Th 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
3rdpercentile

Out of 799 buildings in this neighborhood, 775 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
15%
No DBI
violation
85%
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.

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

Notices of Violation (past 7 years)

DBI issued Notices of Violation at this address over the last 7 years — a direct record of code enforcement activity.

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 85%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

3686-3698 20Th St apartment reviews

Real experiences from people who have lived here. Share yours to help other renters decide.

Share your experience — Help other renters by leaving an honest apartment review

Loading reviews…

On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

This building and nearby alternatives, color-coded by risk level. Click any marker to explore.

The story over time

3686-3698 20Th St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Aug 04
Damaging property
hitting window or building
311 RequestJul 25
Not offensive

See all 33 events

Full history back to 2022 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 3686-3698 20Th St apartments

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

Side by side

How 3686-3698 20Th St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Mission Dolores. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

Loading comparables…
Still apartment hunting in SF?

Look up the next apartment before you sign

Search any SF address free — no account needed to see the risk rating.

Simple pricing

Get the complete picture

Every plan unlocks the complete report: all 13 SF datasets, full history, landlord portfolio, and PDF & Excel exports.

Pay once

Report Bundle

For the buildings you're deciding on right now

$10one time

3premium reports

$3.33 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 3 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them
Pay once

Apartment Hunter

For a wide search across many buildings

$39one time

30premium reports

$1.30 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 30 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them

Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

Watch 3686-3698 20Th St
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.