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261 Clara St

South of Market, SF 94107 3753041 4 units · 2 fl · 1913

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years, and our model puts it at a low risk of maintenance problems over the next 12 months. 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 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 261 Clara 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 1913
2 or more units
4 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RSD
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 1913
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 built1913
Total area3,076 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot3753041
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
261 Clara St Apt 1 San Francisco CA 94107
Last sale
March 21, 2001

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

261 Clara Street is a 4-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1913 and owned by Marc Simon. The building has undergone several significant maintenance and safety-related improvements over the past few decades, including reroofing projects in 1989 and 2015 (costing $17,000), installation of skylights in 2015, and vinyl siding installation in 2006. The property has a documented history of fire safety violations, particularly in recent years, with three violations issued in 2024 regarding sprinkler systems, sleeping area requirements, and standpipe issues. Notably, between 2008 and 2011, the building experienced multiple fire safety violations that were subsequently resolved, including egress obstructions, fire extinguisher requirements, and smoke detector installations. More recent 311 calls indicate ongoing maintenance challenges, with reports of an inadequately maintained building exterior in December 2024, though other recent cases of garbage and debris, flooding, and encampments in the vicinity have all been resolved.

The building has a pattern of responding to false alarms and system malfunctions, with multiple documented incidents of alarm system activations and smoke detector activations recorded by the fire department. Historical records show structural work was performed in 1988, including temporary shoring, support member installation, and attempted raising of the building, while more recent improvements have focused on roof maintenance and skylight installation. The property has undergone regular routine inspections by Housing Inspection Services, with the most recent health and safety inspection occurring in 2011, and appears to have addressed most immediate violations, though some recent fire safety concerns remain open or were cited as requiring correction. The building has experienced various maintenance issues over the years, with many violations being resolved promptly through corrective actions, though there appear to be recurring patterns in fire safety compliance.

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

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Risk rating

How 261 Clara 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
78thpercentile

Out of 430 buildings in this neighborhood, 95 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
82%
No DBI
violation
18%
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 age

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

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

Dollar value of permits pulled at this address — large recent spend can signal deferred-maintenance catch-up.

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 18%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

261 Clara St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

261 Clara St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Mar 11
Other illegal parking
Parking Enforcement
311 RequestMar 11
Other illegal parking

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2026 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 261 Clara St apartments

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

Side by side

How 261 Clara 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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