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1644 Palou Ave

Bayview, SF 94124 5322009 2 units · 4 fl · 1988

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model predicts a high risk of further maintenance problems in the next 12 months. A few records worth reading before you sign. Check whether they were closed out, and ask what was actually fixed.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Bayview — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 4.6
2
FewerMore

This building has 2 novs (7y), at or below the Bayview average of 4.6.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1644 Palou 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 1988
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
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.

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 1988
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
May be covered by AB 1482. The building is old enough for the statewide rent cap (5% + regional CPI, capped at 10% per year) and just-cause protection after 12 months of tenancy.

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
Floors4
Year built1988
Total area4,293 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot5322009
Ownership

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

Mailing address
525 Rolph St San Francisco CA 94112
Last sale
December 10, 2008

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The four-story multi-family residential building at 1644 Palou Avenue, located in the Bayview neighborhood, was constructed in 1988 and contains two units. The property has undergone several significant modifications and faced multiple regulatory challenges over the years. Most notably, there have been multiple investigations and complaints regarding possible illegal units within the building between 2010 and 2016, with allegations of 9 total units including 3-4 units with kitchens and bathrooms. These concerns prompted substantial renovation work in 2010, which involved bathroom conversions and the installation of an exercise room and party room, along with associated electrical and plumbing upgrades. In 2021, there was an attempt to convert the existing exercise room and party room space to a new ADU, though this permit is still listed as filed.

The building has experienced various maintenance and safety issues, including a 2017 complaint about mold on walls, windows, and bathroom lights, and several building violations from 2007-2017 related to electrical, plumbing, and interior surface problems. While these violations were officially abated, they indicate a history of maintenance challenges. Recent activity around the property has primarily involved external issues such as parking enforcement and general street maintenance, with multiple citations for illegal parking between 2021 and 2024, and various street cleaning requests.

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

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Risk rating

How 1644 Palou 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

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
19thpercentile

Out of 382 buildings in this neighborhood, 309 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
40%
No DBI
violation
60%
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.

Number of floors

Building height affects maintenance complexity and is one of the size signals the model uses.

12-Month risk forecast
High failure risk 60%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1644 Palou Ave apartment reviews

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The story over time

1644 Palou Ave event timeline

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

2026
Building Violation (NOV) Jul 20 Serious
The legal use of this building is an r-3 occupancy, two family dwelling on two floors of occupancy. to comply with nov# 200733651 a bpa# 201007196935 to "remove 2 full baths on street lvl and replace w/ two 1/2 bthrooms. on basement, add one 1/2 bath, a wall to seperate the wine cellar from stor and fix conc floor at wine cellar/office. convert stor at street lvl to exercise and stor at basemt to party rm", complete 12/10/2021: during the initial field inspection for complaint #20202659602, evidence of an unapproved conversion from an r-3 (two-family occupancy) to an r-2 (three-unit occupancy) was observed at the street level areas: unapproved street-level dwelling unit: at least one illegal dwelling unit has been constructed at the street level behind the garage doors. illegal garage conversion: the area designated as "garage" on bpa #201007196935 has been unlawfully converted into a living space comprising: two rooms currently utilized as sleeping quarters. one storage closet. an unapproved cooking/eating facility equipped with upper/lower cabinetry, countertop space, a full-size refrigerator, and an adjacent base cabinet/countertop fitted with a two-burner electric hot plate. unapproved plumbing additions: in the area designated as the "laundry room" on bpa #201007196935, an unapproved shower stall has been added to the previously permitted half-bathroom. the following housing code violations were found at the time of initial inspection: * illegal conversion from r3, two family unit to r2, 3 unit occupancy (1001o sfhc) * lack of a proper working heat source (sec.701 sfhc) * work without permit (301 sfhc, 106a, 108.4.1 sfbc) * wall partitions installed without proper permits (1001-j sfhc) * unapproved wiring (sfhc 1001-e) * unapproved plumbing (sfhc 1001-f) * change of use without permit (3406.1 cbc) * sleeping room without proper egress (1001-m sfhc) * hazardous mechanical equipment (1001g sfhc) * lack of proper light and ventilation (sec. 504 (a) sfhc) * prohibited uses, (sec. 709 sec (a), (b) sfhc)
DBI ComplaintJul 20
Date last observed: 17-jul-26; time last observed: 6 pm; floor: ground/bas; unit: illegally ; exact location: garage; building type: residence/dwelling no heat; illegal unit; insects/rodents; other plumbing; ; additional information: 2-room unit, no windows/ventilation/sunlight, no heat, drain/pipe in lr floor, cockroaches, broken overhead light, tenants spanish speaking;

See all 15 events

Full history back to 2021 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 1644 Palou 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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