Free SF apartment background check

42 Williams Ave

Bayview, SF 94124 5410014

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Bayview — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 4.6
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Bayview average of 4.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 42 Williams 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
? units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
Possibly exempt. Built before 1979 but single-unit — single-family homes and condos may be exempt from the SF Rent Ordinance.

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 1904
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
Units
Floors2
Year built1904
Total area1,620 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot5410014
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Zhao Guang Wei & Chiu Bin W 1354 Saratoga Ave San Jose CA 95129
Last sale
January 04, 1994

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 42 Williams Ave in the Bayview neighborhood is a two-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1904, currently owned by Li Wen Guang & Chiu Judy Yu. The building has undergone several significant renovations and legalizations over its history, with particular focus on addressing past code violations and infrastructure improvements. In 2005-2007, major work was completed including the removal of garage posts replaced with steel beams, construction of new retaining walls, electrical system upgrades with new panels, and foundation improvements. The building previously faced code enforcement issues in 1999 regarding an unauthorized rear addition, which were subsequently addressed through various permits totaling substantial costs (over $100,000 in 2005-2007). Earlier improvements included the installation of aluminum windows in 1983.

More recently, the property has experienced several urban neighborhood challenges typical of its location, with multiple 311 calls in 2024-2025 regarding garbage and debris on surrounding streets, though these issues were generally resolved promptly. The building's immediate area has seen various parking enforcement actions, with multiple citations issued for vehicles blocking driveways or parking on sidewalks between 2023-2024. A sidewalk defect was reported in late 2022, which was transferred to appropriate authorities for investigation. The most recent building-related activity on record is a street space permit issued in November 2018, with a nominal cost listed. While the property has had its share of maintenance and neighborhood issues, the extensive renovation history suggests active management of building systems and compliance requirements.

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

Free account unlocks the full analysis — plus 2× more records across all data categories and the complete landlord portfolio.
Risk rating

How 42 Williams 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
61stpercentile

Out of 382 buildings in this neighborhood, 149 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
60%
No DBI
violation
40%
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.

Building permits, owner's portfolio

Permits pulled across all of this owner's buildings over 7 years.

Permit rate, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 40%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

42 Williams Ave apartment reviews

Real experiences from people who have lived here. Share yours to help other renters decide.

Share your experience — Help other renters by leaving an honest apartment review

Loading reviews…

On the map

Compare nearby alternatives

This building and nearby alternatives, color-coded by risk level. Click any marker to explore.

The story over time

42 Williams Ave event timeline

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

No dated public records on file yet.
Every record we have

Full data for 42 Williams Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 42 Williams Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Bayview. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

Loading comparables…
Still apartment hunting in SF?

Look up the next apartment before you sign

Search any SF address free — no account needed to see the risk rating.

Simple pricing

Get the complete picture

Every plan unlocks the complete report: all 13 SF datasets, full history, landlord portfolio, and PDF & Excel exports.

Pay once

Report Bundle

For the buildings you're deciding on right now

$10one time

3premium reports

$3.33 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 3 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them
Pay once

Apartment Hunter

For a wide search across many buildings

$39one time

30premium reports

$1.30 per report · charged once, never renews

Each credit unlocks one building's premium report for 30 days.

  • 30 premium reports — AI executive summary included
  • Live data across all 27 public record types
  • 200 records per dataset
  • PDF & Excel exports included
  • Compare up to 10 buildings side-by-side
  • Credits never expire until you use them

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

Watch 42 Williams Ave
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.