Free SF apartment background check

400 Pennsylvania Ave

Potrero Hill, SF 94107 4064002 2 units · 2 fl · 1904

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
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), at or below the Potrero Hill average of 1.1.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 400 Pennsylvania 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 1904
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 built1904
Total area3,708 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot4064002
Ownership

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

Owner name
Johnson Ruth A
Mailing address
400b Pennsylvania Ave San Francisco CA 94107
Last sale
072010

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 2-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building at 400 Pennsylvania Avenue in Potrero Hill, owned by Ruth A Johnson, has undergone significant maintenance and remediation work since 2009, with particular attention to deck safety and illegal unit removal. Most recently, in late 2023, the building received duct work upgrades ($5,000), while mid-2023 saw the relocation of a tankless water heater and deck repairs following a Notice of Violation (NOV). The property has a documented history of violations related to illegal unit status, with multiple inspections and enforcement actions between 2009 and 2014, all of which have been resolved. These included electrical, plumbing, and structural issues that required careful monitoring and multiple permit revisions to ensure compliance.

The building's maintenance record shows regular upkeep, including window replacement, roofing work, and various safety improvements. Key recent improvements include a complete reroofing project completed in 2022 ($52,832) and compliance work related to siding repairs, deck safety, and electrical systems. The property has experienced recurring issues with permitting and compliance, particularly during the 2009-2014 period, but all recent violations (most notably from 2022) have been abated as of October 2023. Recent maintenance focuses on systems upgrades, including furnace replacement and duct work. The building has also generated several 311 calls in 2024, primarily related to street cleaning and parking enforcement, though these are external to the building itself and relate more to neighborhood conditions than specific building issues.

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

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Risk rating

How 400 Pennsylvania 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
48th percentile

Out of 726 buildings in this neighborhood, 378 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
74%
No DBI
violation
26%
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 location

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

DBI complaint rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building complaint rate across the owner's portfolio.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 71.8%
Moderate concern 24.0%
Severe concern 4.2%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
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The story over time

400 Pennsylvania Ave event timeline

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

2023
Building Permit Dec 20
10 ducts change out like for like. extg location. in one unit.
$5,000 · Issued
Plumbing PermitAug 08
Work category: 1p; relocate tankless water heater

See all 12 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 400 Pennsylvania Ave apartments

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

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

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