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12 Putnam St

Bernal Heights, SF 94110 5687003 2 units · 3 fl · 1907

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
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Bernal Heights average of 1.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 12 Putnam 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 1907
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.

Building characteristics
Units2
Floors3
Year built1907
Total area1,800 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot5687003
Ownership

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

Owner name
Palin Todd M & Johnson Moll
Mailing address
12 Putnam St #12a San Francisco CA 94110
Last sale
061112

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-story multi-family residential building at 12 Putnam Street in Bernal Heights, owned by Todd M. Palin and Moll Johnson, was constructed in 1907 and contains two units. The property has undergone several significant improvements and faced multiple regulatory challenges over the past decade. Between 2012-2015, the building experienced notable violations and enforcement actions related to unpermitted window installations, resulting in a compliance order to replace nine single-pane windows with wooden double-pane windows visible from the street. These violations, documented through multiple notices between 2012-2014, were ultimately resolved by July 2015. During this period, the property underwent substantial maintenance work including a complete reroofing ($7,000) in 2015, facade restoration, front stairs and porch rebuilding ($15,000) in 2014, and various utility improvements such as gas houseline extension and main service relocation.

More recently, there are ongoing concerns about potential unpermitted construction, as evidenced by an active complaint filed in April 2017 regarding work in the garage area possibly related to an in-law unit. The building's maintenance history includes regular updates and repairs, though there have been recurring parking issues with vehicles blocking driveways as documented in multiple citations from September to January 2025. Recent maintenance issues have included a sewage backup (January 2025) and an open case regarding an overgrown tree (December 2024). The property had two fire-related incidents recorded, though neither resulted in injuries, and there was one temporary blocked exit issue in 2008 which was promptly corrected. The building's documented permit history between 2012-2015 shows substantial investment in maintaining and upgrading the property, with particular attention to building envelope improvements and resolving regulatory compliance issues.

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

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Risk rating

How 12 Putnam 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
56th percentile

Out of 1276 buildings in this neighborhood, 561 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
73%
No DBI
violation
27%
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 (ZIP code)

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

Building permits, owner's portfolio

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

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 70.5%
Moderate concern 20.1%
Severe concern 9.4%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

12 Putnam St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request May 15
Garbage and debris
human waste or urine

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 12 Putnam St apartments

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

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