Free SF apartment background check

1731 Palou Ave

Silver Terrace, SF 94124 5328050 3 units · 3 fl · 1923

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Silver Terrace
At or below average
avg 1.5
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), at or below the Silver Terrace average of 1.5.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1731 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 1923
2 or more units
3 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
Units3
Floors3
Year built1923
Total area1,550 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot5328050
Ownership

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

Owner name
Espinoza Juan
Mailing address
Espinoza Daniel 2983 Arthur Ct Hayward CA 94541
Last sale
031219

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit apartment building at 1731 Palou Avenue in Silver Terrace, owned by Juan Espinoza, has a complex history spanning multiple decades. Built in 1923, this three-story multi-family residential building has undergone various significant modifications and faced several compliance issues. Most recently, in 2021-2022, there were two related permits (totaling $13,500) that addressed deck and stair construction at the rear of the building, including a revision to change the direction of the stairway to comply with earlier notices of violation. A notable issue emerged in December 2020 when construction work was reported to be taking place without proper permits, leading to a complaint that remained active until June 2023. The building has also experienced various maintenance and compliance challenges over the years, including a sewer line replacement in 2008 following a clogging incident that resulted in sewage spilling onto the street, and multiple violations cited in 2007 related to fire safety, security, sanitation, and lead paint concerns. While many of these historical issues have been addressed through subsequent permits and repairs, including reroofing work in 1995 and an underground conversion in 2005, several violations from the 2007 complaints regarding fire safety equipment, security devices, and sanitation remain active according to available records.

Recent activity at the property has included multiple 311 calls throughout 2024-2025, primarily related to street cleaning, parking enforcement, and graffiti removal, indicating ongoing maintenance needs in the surrounding area. The building's permit history shows efforts to comply with various notices of violation, particularly regarding deck construction and safety requirements, though some historical violations from 2007 regarding fire safety and security remain active. The property has undergone several documented repairs and improvements, including street space and sidewalk repairs in 2008, though the persistence of certain violations suggests ongoing compliance challenges.

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

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Risk rating

How 1731 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

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
13th percentile

Out of 71 buildings in this neighborhood, 62 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
50%
No DBI
violation
50%
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.

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 45.1%
Moderate concern 47.7%
Severe concern 7.2%
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

1731 Palou Ave event timeline

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

2022
Building Permit Aug 11
Revision to pa# 202104219067. change of direction of the stairway. to comply with nov #200715250 4 & 5 & 202069311
$5,000 · Complete

See all 4 events

Full history back to 2020 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 1731 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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