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1538 Alabama St

Bernal Heights, SF 94110 5504011 2 units · 2 fl · 1961

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 Bernal Heights
At or below average
avg 1.2
1
FewerMore

This building has 1 novs (7y), at or below the Bernal Heights average of 1.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1538 Alabama 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 1961
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 built1961
Total area2,424 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot5504011
Ownership

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

Owner name
Marital Tr Of The Jean A &
Mailing address
Jean A Castagne & Francois 1538 Alabama St San Francisco CA 94110
Last sale
060517

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-unit residential building at 1538 Alabama Street in Bernal Heights, constructed in 1961, has experienced several significant events throughout its history, with the most critical being a fire incident in December 2021 that rendered the building temporarily uninhabitable. The fire resulted in smoke damage throughout all three floors and structural damage to first-floor elements, prompting multiple repair permits in early 2022 totaling $105,000, including new electrical and plumbing systems, window replacements, and structural repairs. The building underwent comprehensive renovations following the fire, including new plumbing installations for two bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry facilities in September 2022, as well as electrical system upgrades in October 2022, all of which have been completed.

Prior to the fire, the property had routine maintenance including reroofing projects in 1993 and 2018, and stair repairs in 2000. A recent inspection in late 2023 noted a parking enforcement issue with a blocked driveway, though this was not directly related to building conditions. The structure is currently monitored under active building violations related to the 2021 fire incident, which remains unresolved, with monthly monitoring fees continuing to apply under San Francisco Building Code provisions. The property has shown consistent maintenance patterns over the years, with the recent post-fire renovations suggesting significant investment in returning the building to code compliance and modernizing essential systems.

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

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Risk rating

How 1538 Alabama 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
91th percentile

Out of 1276 buildings in this neighborhood, 115 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
87%
No DBI
violation
13%
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.

Neighborhood location

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 77.2%
Moderate concern 20.0%
Severe concern 2.8%
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

1538 Alabama St event timeline

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

2022
Electrical Permit Oct 06
Remodel of 2 unit building . new service
Complete
Plumbing PermitSep 27
Work category: 2pa; new plumbing pipe work for 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, and laundry

See all 6 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1538 Alabama 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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