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917 Rhode Island St

Potrero Hill, SF 94107 4095073 2 units · 3 fl · 1909

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 917 Rhode Island 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 1909
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH3
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
Floors3
Year built1909
Total area3,298 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot4095073
Ownership

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

Owner name
Martin Michael B Steele Tho
Mailing address
Steele Thomas 917 Rhode Island St San Francisco CA 94107
Last sale
022621

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story multi-family residential building at 917 Rhode Island Street in Potrero Hill, owned by Martin Michael B Steele Tho, was built in 1909 and contains two units. The property has undergone significant transformations and improvements over the past decades, with the most substantial recent work occurring between 2018-2019 when a garage/accessory building was converted into a residential unit, including the addition of a kitchen, two bathrooms, and comprehensive electrical and plumbing upgrades. This project, which cost approximately $300,200, was followed by foundation reinforcement work in 2019, adding steel beams and concrete to re-establish walkways. The building has addressed several maintenance issues over the years, including substantial repairs to a rock slope in 2010 ($150,000) and various plumbing upgrades, including new drains and sewer work in 2011. The property experienced some construction compliance issues in 2011 related to unapproved shotcrete application, though this violation was abated within a week.

Recent maintenance and safety records show ongoing attention to infrastructure, including electrical system upgrades (new panels and wiring in 2018), HVAC improvements (new furnace installation in 2019), and multiple plumbing renovations. The building has maintained active communication with city services, as evidenced by numerous 311 calls from 2019-2024, primarily regarding tree maintenance, parking issues, and building inspections. While there have been several sidewalk and street-related complaints, these were generally resolved promptly. The property's maintenance history shows regular upkeep and addressing of safety concerns, with particular attention to drainage and moisture issues evident in multiple plumbing permits. The building's historical records from the 1990s and earlier demonstrate a pattern of addressing structural and maintenance concerns, including dry rot repairs and parapet reconfiguration.

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

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Risk rating

How 917 Rhode Island 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

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
31th percentile

Out of 726 buildings in this neighborhood, 501 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
65%
No DBI
violation
35%
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 location

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

Neighborhood location

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

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 53.5%
Moderate concern 37.3%
Severe concern 9.2%
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

917 Rhode Island St event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Oct 05
Garbage and debris
furniture

See all 4 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 917 Rhode Island St 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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