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5 Decatur St

South of Market, SF 94103 3780032 2 units · 2 fl · 1908

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 5 Decatur 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 1908
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
SLI
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 1908
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
Units2
Floors2
Year built1908
Total area1,332 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot3780032
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Margaret M Farragher, Ttee 2231 27Th Ave San Francisco CA 94116
Last sale

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

This two-story, two-unit multi-family residential building located at 5 Decatur St in the South of Market neighborhood was built in 1908 and is currently owned by Peter P Farragher Exemption. The building's recent history (2024-2025) has been marked by persistent sanitation issues, with multiple reports of garbage, debris, and human waste on the property or immediate vicinity, including open cases as recently as January 2025. The property has also experienced recurring graffiti issues and problematic waste management situations, including overflowing city garbage cans and other debris problems, though many of these cases have been resolved through city intervention.

From a safety perspective, the building has had several fire-related incidents and violations, including a September 2024 citation for multiple fire code violations and an ERRCS permit issue, along with various alarm system activations from 2017-2024 (though none resulted in civilian injuries or confirmed fires). Historical violations (2022-2024) related to fire safety equipment, kitchen hood cleaning, and general safety requirements have been documented at nearby addresses (866-888 Brannan St), suggesting potential broader safety compliance issues in the immediate area, though most of these were eventually abated or corrected. While the building's age and use as a residential property suggest potential maintenance challenges, the most significant current concerns appear to center around exterior sanitation issues rather than immediate building safety or structural integrity problems.

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

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Risk rating

How 5 Decatur 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
84thpercentile

Out of 430 buildings in this neighborhood, 69 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
83%
No DBI
violation
17%
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.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

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

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

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 17%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

5 Decatur St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

5 Decatur St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Jul 20
Garbage and debris
needles less than 20

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 5 Decatur St apartments

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

Side by side

How 5 Decatur 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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