Free SF apartment background check

487 Potrero Ave

Potrero Hill, SF 94110 3974027 3 units · 3 fl · 1986

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Potrero Hill
At or below average
avg 1.1
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Potrero Hill average of 1.1.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 487 Potrero Ave 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 1986
2 or more units
3 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
M1
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
Units3
Floors3
Year built1986
Total area3,150 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot3974027
Ownership

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

Owner name
Dorothy W Choi Bypass Tr
Mailing address
Choi Eugene Trustee 2309 Noriega St #30 San Francisco CA 94122
Last sale
050500

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 3-unit, 3-story multi-family residential building at 487 Potrero Avenue in Potrero Hill, built in 1986 and currently owned by the Dorothy W Choi Bypass Trust, has undergone several significant maintenance and infrastructure improvements over the years. Most recently, in July 2022, the building completed a house trap and sewer lateral replacement, addressing important plumbing infrastructure. The property has experienced periodic maintenance and upgrade work, including a $13,320 reroofing project in 2014, vinyl siding installation in 1990, and a notable subdrain deletion beneath the garage slab in 1985.

The building's history includes several violations in March 2004 related to fire safety and building maintenance, particularly concerning fire escape ladders, roof deck repairs, and egress obstructions, all of which were abated by April 2004. More recent concerns include a complaint in October 2022 about possible unpermitted construction work, and a noise complaint related to construction in June 2015. The property has experienced recurring issues with graffiti, with the most recent incidents reported in 2023, and has been the subject of various 311 calls for topics including sidewalk cleaning, blocked parking spaces, and construction-related concerns. While there have been two fire incidents recorded at the address, both were minor—one being an unintentional alarm system activation and the other an invalid assist, with no civilian injuries reported in either instance.

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

Free account unlocks the full analysis — plus 2× more records across all data categories and the complete landlord portfolio.
Risk rating

How 487 Potrero Ave'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
39th percentile

Out of 726 buildings in this neighborhood, 443 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
69%
No DBI
violation
31%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

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

Property class: multi-family flat

2–4 unit flats (class F) are a common SF building type with their own maintenance and complaint patterns.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 50.7%
Moderate concern 37.7%
Severe concern 11.6%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

487 Potrero Ave apartment reviews

Real experiences from people who have lived here. Share yours to help other renters decide.

Share your experience — Help other renters by leaving an honest apartment review

Loading reviews…

On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

This building and nearby alternatives, color-coded by risk level. Click any marker to explore.

Buildings nearby
Loading…
The story over time

487 Potrero Ave event timeline

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

2022
DBI Complaint Oct 05
Customer states that the tenant/owners at the location does not have permits on file for the construction that is taking place in the building. please inspect in regards to the permit for the location.(311 sr 15907369)
Building Inspection Division
Plumbing PermitJul 27
Work category: 1p; house trap and sewer lateral replacement

See all 2 events

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

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 487 Potrero Ave apartments

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

Still apartment hunting in SF?

Look up the next apartment before you sign

Search any SF address free — no account needed to see the risk rating.

Simple pricing

Get the complete picture

Every plan unlocks the complete report: all 13 SF datasets, full history, landlord portfolio, and PDF & Excel exports.

Report Bundle

For the buildings you're deciding on right now

$10 one-time

~$3.33 per building. No subscription ever. Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 3 full AI-powered reports
  • Download PDF reports
  • Advanced safety analysis
  • Compare multiple buildings
  • Credits never expire until you use them
  • Full public records (200 rows per dataset)
Buy 3 Reports — $10

Apartment Hunter

For a wide search across many buildings

$39 one-time

30 reports — ~$1.30 each. No subscription ever.

  • 30 full AI-powered reports
  • Download PDF reports
  • Advanced safety analysis
  • Compare multiple buildings
  • Credits never expire until you use them
  • Full public records (200 rows per dataset)
Buy 30 Reports — $39

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

Watch 487 Potrero Ave
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.