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3959 20Th St

Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights, SF 94114 3605060 3 units · 3 fl · 1911

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.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 3959 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 1911
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH1
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 1911
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
Floors3
Year built1911
Total area3,827 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot3605060
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Simon Martha J & Marino Jos 3959 20Th St San Francisco CA 94114
Last sale
August 09, 2002

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

This three-unit multi-family residential building, located at 3959 20th Street in the Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights neighborhood, was constructed in 1911 and is currently owned by the Simon-marino Family Trust. The property has undergone several significant improvements over the years, with the most recent major work being a backflow assembly replacement in 2021 and reroofing in 2018, both completed properly. Earlier improvements included substantial exterior work in 2011 with the installation of new Hardy plank siding on the north side, as well as back deck repairs in 2009. Two bathrooms were remodeled in the early 2000s, with corresponding electrical work completed, and window and patio door replacements were permitted in 2006, though records show this permit expired.

The building's history includes some concerning events in 1994, when multiple complaints were filed regarding illegal unit conversions, including an unauthorized basement unit, unauthorized modifications to upper units, and improper additions of fixtures and appliances. These violations were reportedly addressed by September 1995, with records showing a completed permit for the removal of the illegal basement unit. More recent issues have primarily involved exterior maintenance concerns, including tree root damage to sidewalks (reported in 2024 and 2022) and various parking-related incidents on the street. The property has also experienced recurring issues with garbage and debris on the street, including reports of human waste, most recently in July and November 2024. While there have been multiple complaints and service calls regarding street conditions and parking, these are primarily external to the building itself and relate to general neighborhood issues rather than specific building concerns.

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

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Risk rating

How 3959 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
46thpercentile

Out of 1278 buildings in this neighborhood, 690 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
72%
No DBI
violation
28%
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.

Building size

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

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.

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 28%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

3959 20Th St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

3959 20Th St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jun 08
Parking on sidewalk
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestJan 03
Parking on sidewalk

See all 3 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 3959 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 3959 20Th 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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