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980 Howard St

South of Market, SF 94103 3725103 24 units · 4 fl · 1998

This building has more problems than most buildings in this neighborhood. Renters here report frequent, slow-to-fix problems. Get repair promises in writing and check the unit before signing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in South of Market
At or below average
avg 3.3
3
FewerMore

This building has 3 novs (7y), at or below the South of Market average of 3.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 980 Howard 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 1998
2 or more units
24 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RSD
Not rent-controlled. Buildings constructed after 1978 are generally exempt from SF rent increase limits under the Costa-Hawkins Act.

Based on SF Assessor records. Not legal advice — confirm with the SF Rent Board.

Building characteristics
Units24
Floors4
Year built1998
Total area35,352 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusWelfare
Blocklot3725103
Ownership

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

Owner name
Todland Inc
Mailing address
230 4th St San Francisco CA 94103
Last sale
061400

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 24-unit, 4-story multi-family residential building at 980 Howard Street, owned by Todland Inc and constructed in 1998, has experienced several significant maintenance and safety issues over the past decade. Most recently, in 2023-2024, there have been multiple fire safety concerns, including a December 2023 violation regarding sleeping area requirements, occasional alarm system issues (with corrections noted in July and December 2024), and a pattern of elevator malfunctions affecting residents, particularly disabled tenants, with the most recent complaints filed in 2022-2023. The building has also faced ongoing fire safety challenges, including blocked exits (notably in late 2023), sprinkler system maintenance issues (noted in 2020), and various violations requiring permits for corrections.

Historical data shows the building has undergone several major improvements since its construction, including the installation of new fire alarm systems and supports during initial construction, and more recent updates such as dishwasher replacements and electrical improvements in 2010. Multiple routine maintenance and safety checks have been conducted over the years, with various violations and complaints regarding heating systems, plumbing issues, and general maintenance. Recent 311 calls from late 2024 indicate ongoing concerns with garbage and debris management around the property, though these are primarily exterior and street-related issues rather than direct building maintenance concerns. The property has maintained its classification as an Apartment building with 15 units or more, as defined by local building codes.

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

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Risk rating

How 980 Howard 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

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
20th percentile

Out of 430 buildings in this neighborhood, 344 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
27%
No DBI
violation
73%
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 (ZIP code)

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

Number of units

The number of units affects how the model reads complaint and violation totals — more units means more potential sources.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 10.1%
Moderate concern 85.1%
Severe concern 4.8%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

980 Howard St apartment reviews

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The story over time

980 Howard St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request May 25
Public works
bsm request for service
DBI ComplaintApr 23
No proper ventilation in the unit

See all 18 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 980 Howard St apartments

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

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