Free SF apartment background check

45 Costa St

Bernal Heights, SF 94110 5574017 2 units · 2 fl · 1906

A handful of records on file over the last seven years, and our model sees a moderate chance of more 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 Bernal Heights — not a forecast
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.

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 45 Costa 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 1906
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH1
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.

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 1906
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
Local rent control likely takes priority. This building appears to fall under the local ordinance above, which is stronger than AB 1482. Where a local just-cause ordinance applies, its rules govern instead of the state cap.

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
Floors2
Year built1906
Total area1,500 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot5574017
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
461 Goettingen St San Francisco CA 94134
Last sale
April 04, 2002

Landlord portfolio

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

Unlock complete report
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-unit residential building at 45 Costa Street in Bernal Heights, owned by Jose Almanza, is a 1906 flats/duplex structure that has undergone several significant improvements and faced some regulatory challenges. Most recently, the property has been involved in solar panel installations, with three permits issued between 2022 and 2024 for a 6.12 kW system comprising 17 modules. However, an active complaint from January 2022 remains regarding unauthorized installation of solar equipment. The building has seen various infrastructure improvements, including a water main replacement in 2013, gutter repairs in 2007 to address drainage issues, and multiple renovation projects in 2006 that required permits following a stop-work order for unpermitted remodeling.

Historical records show the property had a roof replacement in 1995 and various building violations, though most have been resolved. These included a complaint about improper gutter installation affecting neighboring property in 2007, and several fire code violations (including combustible vegetation issues) at nearby addresses in 2006 and 2018 that were abated. Recent activity around the property includes multiple municipal service requests between 2023-2025 regarding street cleaning, garbage removal, and infrastructure maintenance, as well as a tree-related issue. While the building has maintained basic compliance with major systems and received numerous system upgrades (including a planned service upgrade for solar), the active permit violation regarding solar panel installation suggests some ongoing regulatory issues.

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 45 Costa 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

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
14thpercentile

Out of 1276 buildings in this neighborhood, 1097 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
53%
No DBI
violation
47%
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 (ZIP code)

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

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 47%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

45 Costa St 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

45 Costa St event timeline

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

2026
Building Permit Jun 25
Solar permit: installing 17 solar pv modules, 360 watts per module, total no. of rating 6.12 kw. mounted: roof, ballasted: n | revision to issued permit e202505132408. ac disconnect relocated and moved outside the locked gate to address inspector comments. address corr
$9,678 · Filed
311 RequestMay 29
Garbage and debris

See all 11 events

Full history back to 2022 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

Unlock complete timeline
Every record we have

Full data for 45 Costa St apartments

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

Side by side

How 45 Costa St compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Bernal Heights. 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 45 Costa St
Get alerted the moment a new violation or complaint is filed.