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517 Potrero Ave

Potrero Hill, SF 94110 4013019 2 units · 2 fl · 1911

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
Above average
avg 1.1
5
FewerMore

This building has 5 novs (7y), above the Potrero Hill average of 1.1.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 517 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 1911
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
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.

Building characteristics
Units2
Floors2
Year built1911
Total area2,424 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot4013019
Ownership

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

Owner name
Catherine Ann Wayland Survi
Mailing address
Wayland Catherine Ann Trust 263 Connecticut St San Francisco CA 94107
Last sale
062201

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 517 Potrero Ave is a century-old, two-unit multi-family residential building located in Potrero Hill, currently owned by Catherine Ann Wayland Survi. The two-story building has undergone several significant repairs and maintenance work in recent years, most notably including an exterior stair repair in September 2023 costing $4,500, and a complete heating system replacement in Unit B in December 2021. The building experienced a serious maintenance crisis in 2020, with multiple violations recorded on June 30, 2020, including issues with damaged walls and ceilings, window maintenance problems, and concerns about interior surfaces, though these violations were officially abated by January 26, 2022. Prior to this, there were concerning reports of mold issues in 2018 related to water problems in Unit B and the laundry room, along with safety concerns about broken emergency egress window bars, though these complaints are listed as not active.

The property's maintenance history shows a pattern of addressing structural and safety concerns, with earlier work including window installations in 1993 and dry rot repairs in 1986. Recent infrastructure challenges have been documented, including a sewage backup in March 2023 and various street maintenance issues in the surrounding area as recorded in 311 calls. While recent permits suggest ongoing maintenance of the property, including the recent stair repair, the building's history shows it has faced significant maintenance challenges, particularly related to water damage and interior surfaces, though these issues appear to have been formally resolved through appropriate channels. The property has also experienced external challenges typical of urban environments, as reflected in recent 311 calls for street cleaning and graffiti concerns, though the majority of these issues were promptly addressed or resolved by city services.

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

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Risk rating

How 517 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
46th percentile

Out of 726 buildings in this neighborhood, 392 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
73%
No DBI
violation
27%
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.

Neighborhood location

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 67.4%
Moderate concern 26.6%
Severe concern 6.0%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

517 Potrero Ave event timeline

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

2023
Building Permit Sep 27
Exterior stair repair less than 50%, replace with new wood in kind. not visible from the street.
$4,500 · Complete

See all 9 events

Full history back to 2019 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 517 Potrero Ave apartments

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

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