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525 Natoma St

South of Market, SF 94103 3726052 4 units · 2 fl · 1909

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model puts this building at a low risk of further maintenance problems in the next 12 months. A few records worth reading before you sign. Check whether they were closed out, and ask what was actually fixed.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in South of Market — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 3.3
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the South of Market average of 3.3.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 525 Natoma 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 1909
2 or more units
4 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RED
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 1909
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
Units4
Floors2
Year built1909
Total area2,570 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot3726052
Ownership

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

Mailing address
The Grove Inn 890 Grove St San Francisco CA 94117
Last sale
September 27, 1996

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.

525 C Natoma St, San Francisco, CA 94103
525 A Natoma St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-story, four-unit multi-family residential building at 525 Natoma St, owned by Klaus D & Rosett Zimmermann, was constructed in 1909 and has undergone several inspections and permit modifications over the years. Most concerning is an active complaint filed in January 2025 regarding lack of hot water that has not yet been resolved. The building has a significant history of interior maintenance issues, particularly noted in a March 2004 complaint that reported problems including broken floorboards, pest infestation, exposed wiring, water damage, and malfunctioning hardware. This triggered multiple violations regarding interior surfaces in various units (including loose floorboards, bathroom ceiling repairs, and phone jack issues) as well as several fire safety concerns, including egress obstructions and combustible storage issues. While some of these violations were marked as abated in February 2004, many remain listed as active or not fully resolved.

The building's more recent maintenance record shows some positive steps, including a health and safety inspection in 2012 that resulted in deck safety modifications (installation of grids on deck railings) to meet code compliance. Routine safety inspections were conducted in 2004 and 2008. The property has experienced infrastructure issues requiring ongoing attention, with the most recent active complaint from 2025 being particularly noteworthy for its impact on resident comfort. Outside the building itself, there have been numerous 311 calls in the surrounding area between 2021 and 2024, primarily addressing street cleaning and waste removal needs, though these external issues do not directly reflect on the building's internal conditions or management.

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

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Risk rating

How 525 Natoma 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
62ndpercentile

Out of 430 buildings in this neighborhood, 163 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
77%
No DBI
violation
23%
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.

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
Low failure risk 23%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

525 Natoma St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

525 Natoma St event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Nov 21
Parking on sidewalk
Parking Enforcement
DBI ComplaintJan 14
No hot water past 4 days.

See all 4 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 525 Natoma St apartments

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

Side by side

How 525 Natoma St compares to the neighborhood

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

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